Stop Chasing Quick Fixes: Why Your Back Pain Keeps Coming Back (And How to Finally Fix It)
- Dr. Rob Sheely
- Oct 20
- 5 min read
The Frustration You Know Too Well
You’ve been there: that sharp twinge in your lower back, the pain that shoots down your leg. The mornings when rolling out of bed feels like a major ordeal. So what do you do? Reach for an ibuprofen, take a few days off work, maybe apply heat or ice. And for a little while, it works.
Then it comes back. Days, weeks, or months later you’re right back where you started — the pain returns, productivity suffers, quality of life takes another hit. You’re left asking: Why won’t this just go away?
You’re not alone. Low-back pain is one of the most common reasons people seek chiropractic care. But here’s what most people don’t realize: the pain isn’t the problem — it’s a symptom.
Why Temporary Fixes Don’t Work
Let’s be honest about what happens when you treat back pain with medication or rest alone:
Medication masks the pain. Ibuprofen, muscle relaxers, and other pain relievers don’t fix the underlying dysfunction — they just turn down the volume on the problem. Once the medication wears off, the underlying issue is still there, waiting.
Rest might feel good short-term, but it often makes things worse. Avoiding movement for too long can lead to muscle weakening, loss of spinal stability, and harmful compensatory movement patterns, which set you up for recurrence. Research shows exercise-based care is more effective than rest or avoidance for nonspecific low back pain. PMC+1
Without addressing the root cause, recurrence is inevitable. If vertebrae are misaligned, muscles are tight and imbalanced, or posture is pulling your spine out of position, no amount of pills or bed rest will alter that. You’re treating the symptom, not the source.
What’s Really Causing Your Back Pain?
Chronic or recurrent back pain typically stems from one or more of the following underlying issues:
Vertebral misalignment (subluxation): When vertebrae shift out of position, they may irritate nerves, restrict movement, encourage abnormal motion and create pain.Evidence from systematic reviews supports that spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) can provide modest improvements in pain and function for low-back pain. JAMA Network+1
Muscle imbalance and tension: Tight, over-active or fatigued muscles in the lower back, hips and core can pull the spine out of alignment and generate chronic tension. Research shows that core-stability exercises improve pain and functional outcomes for nonspecific chronic low-back pain. MDPI+1
Poor posture: Hours hunched over a desk, slouching, or standing incorrectly compress your spine and strain supporting structures. Postural dysfunction is well-recognized as a contributing factor to recurrent low-back pain and is addressed in rehabilitation protocols.
Weak core stability: A weak core cannot support the spine effectively, forcing other muscles to compensate and fatigue over time. As one review describes: core stabilization exercises “may be more effective in decreasing pain and may improve physical function” compared to general exercise, at least in the short term. PLOS+1
Repetitive strain: When certain movements or activities repeatedly stress the same spinal or muscular structures, cumulative micro-injuries add up — leading to recurrence over time.
Previous injuries: Old injuries that weren’t fully rehabilitated leave scar tissue, residual weakness or altered motion patterns — making you vulnerable to re-injury.
None of these issues fade away on their own. And none respond fully to medication or rest alone. What this means is: to break the cycle, you’ve got to address the root causes — alignment, muscle balance, posture, and movement — not just the pain.
How Chiropractic Care Addresses the Root Cause
Here’s how a well-designed chiropractic plan can shift you from recurring pain to lasting recovery:
Thorough assessment: We begin with a detailed evaluation: postural assessment, movement analysis, spinal biomechanics, muscle-balance check, and screening for contributing factors outside the spine (hips, feet, ergonomics). This helps pinpoint exactly what’s wrong — whether vertebral misalignment, muscle imbalance, poor posture or movement dysfunction.
Correct spinal alignment: Through precise adjustments (spinal manipulative therapy), we restore proper vertebral positioning, reduce nerve irritation, and improve mechanical function of the spine. Evidence supports that SMT offers modest improvements in both pain and function in low back pain patients. JAMA Network+1
Strengthen and stabilize: We don’t just adjust and dismiss you. We prescribe targeted rehabilitation: core-strengthening, stabilizing exercises, movement retraining. Research on core stabilization interventions shows clinically meaningful reduction in pain and improvement in function for chronic low back pain. PMC
Address muscle imbalances: Through therapeutic modalities — e.g., manual therapy, dry needling, assisted stretching — we release tight muscles, encourage balanced activation patterns, and restore symmetry. When you correct the soft-tissue dysfunction surrounding your spine, you reduce the load on spinal joints and discs.
Correct postural & movement patterns: We teach you the right way to sit, stand, work at your desk, lift, and move your body. Because unless your daily movement supports your spine rather than undermines it — recurrence is very likely.
Create a plan for lasting results: Your care plan isn’t about “feeling better today” — it’s about staying better for years to come. We monitor progress, adjust as necessary, and empower you with the habits and home program to maintain your results.
The Difference Between Temporary Relief and Real Recovery
When you treat back pain the right way, something shifts. The pain doesn’t just disappear — it stays away because you’ve addressed the real problem.
Week 1–2: Pain begins to decrease as inflammation reduces, nerve irritation eases and mobility improves.
Week 3–6: You notice improved mobility, better sleep, fewer flare-ups. You’re starting to feel like yourself again.
Week 8+: Core strength is improved, posture is better, movement is natural again. The pain that used to control your life is now just a memory.
But here’s what most people miss: by addressing root causes rather than symptom management, you stay better. The pain doesn’t bounce back the moment you stop treatment. Because you’ve changed the mechanics, not just masked the symptoms.
Don’t Let Back Pain Control Your Life
If you’ve been caught in the cycle of temporary fixes and recurring pain, it’s time to try a different approach. Chiropractic care works best when it treats the cause, not just the symptom.
Here at Middletown Spine & Injury – Sheely Chiropractic, we’ve helped countless patients break free from chronic back pain and get back to the life they love. We combine precise adjustments, advanced diagnostics, targeted rehabilitation, and personalized care plans — to deliver real, lasting results.
Your back pain doesn’t have to be permanent. And it doesn’t have to keep coming back.
Ready to Fix Your Back Pain for Good?
Schedule your consultation today. We’ll perform a thorough assessment, identify what’s causing your pain, and craft a personalized plan to get you back to feeling your best — and staying that way.
Address: 1002 N University Blvd, Middletown, OH 45042
Phone: (513) 217-7035
Website: www.sheelychiro.com
Your Family’s Health Begins with Us.
Key Takeaways
✓ Back pain is a symptom of an underlying mechanical or movement problem — not the root cause.✓ Medication and rest may relieve the pain temporarily, but they don’t correct the underlying dysfunction.✓ Addressing the root causes — alignment, muscle balance, posture, stability — is the path to lasting relief.✓ Chiropractic care combined with exercise and movement retraining is backed by research showing positive outcomes for low back pain.✓ A personalized care plan is your long-term strategy to prevent future injury and stay pain-free.
Selected References
Wang XQ, et al. “A Meta-Analysis of Core Stability Exercise versus General Exercise for Chronic Low Back Pain.” PLoS ONE. 2012;7:e52082. PLOS
Smrčina Z, et al. “A Systematic Review of the Effectiveness of Core Stabilization Exercises in Non-Specific Low Back Pain.” PM & C. 2022; Grade B evidence supports CSE. PMC+1
Paige NM, et al. “Association of Spinal Manipulative Therapy With Clinical Benefit and Harm for Acute Low Back Pain.” JAMA. 2017. JAMA Network
Rubinstein SM, et al. “Benefits and harms of spinal manipulative therapy for the treatment of low back pain: systematic review and meta-analysis.” BMJ 2019. PubMed
Frizziero A, et al. “Efficacy of Core Stability in Non-Specific Chronic Low Back Pain.” J Funct Morphol Kinesiol. 2021;6(2):37.
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