Teenagers Suffering from Back Pain? Get Help, Now

By Dr. Tiffany T. Butler | March 14, 2023 | Read Time: 6 minutes

Is your teenager suffering from back pain? Learn why getting help for your teen now may reduce their risk of developing chronic back pain in adult life. During our teenage years, hormone levels increase and fluctuate causing rapid changes in our mental and physical development. Furthermore, this is often demonstrated in behavior changes, mood swings, growth spurts, and other effects of puberty. As our bodies change from a child body to an adult body, we may experience discomfort or growing pains.

Common Causes of Back Pain in Teenagers

Some teenagers may experience back pain. Back pain can be caused by many things. Here are common causes of back pain seen in children and teenagers include but are not limited to:

• Poor posture
• Scoliosis
• Abnormal growths (e.g., tumors)
• Soft tissue injury (e.g., ligament sprain, muscle strain, disc herniation)
• Infection (e.g., meningitis)

When To Take Your Child or Teenager To The Doctor

Back pain in a child or teenager should be taken seriously and therefore, taking your child to see a doctor is important, especially if:

• Your child or teenager’s symptoms have not improved within 5 days.
• Your child or teenager’s pain is getting worse, or symptoms are changing (for the worse).
• The child or teen has a fever with back pain.
• The child or teen experiences neck stiffness especially with head flexion.

Having your child or teenager see a pediatrician or medical doctor first, is ideal. This will allow the medical physicians to evaluate your child or teen for more serious conditions such as infection, abnormal growths, etc. If the back pain is caused by a milder condition such as muscle strain or ligament sprain, then taking your child or teenager to a chiropractor may be a good idea.

How Chiropractors Can Help Your Teenagers?

Chiropractors specialize in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of neuromusculoskeletal conditions. Chiropractors treat conditions that are commonly seen in both adults and children, such as abnormal posture, muscle strain, ligament sprain, and disc herniations. Doctors of Chiropractic (D.C.) work in collaboration with other healthcare providers such as pediatricians, internal medicine physicians, orthopedists, and neurologists to improve patient outcomes. In addition to providing chiropractic adjustments, chiropractors educate patients on how to reduce their chances of back pain by improving their posture through muscle balance. Click on the links to learn how you can improve your posture by performing exercises and stretches.

If you are not sure if your child will benefit from chiropractic care, the best thing to do is to schedule a consultation with your local chiropractor.  During the consultation, the chiropractor will conduct a medical history review of your child or teenager, and a physical examination, to determine if your child or teenager will benefit from care.

For more information on how chiropractic care has helped thousands of children, click the link to visit International Chiropractic Pediatric Association. website.

Dr. Tiffany T. Butler (aka “The Pain Doctor”) is a chiropractor, author, and entrepreneur. She leads Harmonious Living Chiropractic: Fitness & Wellness Center, a pain management practice, in offering healthcare solutions that focus on patient-centered care. Her team consists of individuals who are passionate about improving patient outcomes by providing chiropractic care, in conjunction with therapeutic procedures. Their services have helped hundreds of people find pain relief and improved their quality of life. To learn more about Dr. Butler visit https://www.drtiffanybutler.com/dr-butler/ Connect with Dr. Butler on social media #drtiffanybutler @drtiffanybutler