Pain originating in the spine is not normal. Pain is a way of telling us that something is wrong. Many of our patients present to us in significant pain and report having had lower levels of pain over many weeks, months or in some cases years.
Low grade pain over long periods of time is often the only indication that a joint is not functioning well. Poor function of spinal joints and for that matter any joint over a long period of time may accelerate the degenerative wear process that is commonly referred to as degenerative joint disease.
Other early warning symptoms that are often ignored are poor posture, fatigue, stiffness or even just the feeling that it doesn’t feel right. Listen to your body and act on early warning signs rather than waiting for acute pain to scream at you. It is often easier to assess and manage long term pain patients before they have severe or acute episodes of neck pain, thoracic or low back pain.
Long term problems with significant damage to the joint and soft tissue structures can be difficult to manage.
If you have tension, fatigue or pain in any part of your spine it is time to get it checked.