Dr. Thomas E Needham D.C.

The spine is comprised of bony vertebrae separated by intervertebral discs. The lumbar spine consists of five vertebrae numbered L1 to L5. These vertebrae are attached to the tail bone (sacrum) at the lower end of the spine.  The spinal cord runs within the vertebrae. The intervertebral discs act...

Sciatica is the pain along the sciatic nerve felt from the lower back through the buttocks to the back of the leg. The sciatic nerve is a large nerve in the body that originates from the spinal cord in the lumbar region, and extends to the lower part of the leg. Generally, the pain is felt only on...

Lower back strain is one of the most important causes of back pain. Lower back strains refer to the strain of muscles and ligaments in the back that maintains the vertebrae in place. Strain of these muscles leads to tissue tear and weakening of the muscles. This affects the positioning of the...

A major cause of absence in the work place is back pain. The intensity and symptoms of back pain differ greatly. Due to these variations, accurate diagnosis is sometimes difficult to get. However, some spinal diagnosis are direct.Majority of the cases related to back pain do not need medical...

Pinched nerve, or nerve compression, refers to a situation in which the surrounding tissues apply pressure on a nerve. Pinched nerve may cause severe pain, tingling, numbness, or other symptoms. Nerve compression may affect different sites of the body and this may result in varied symptoms. The...

Patients may often ask themselves which doctor they should see for their back pain. Studies have shown that chiropractors provide effective treatment for back pain. However, chiropractors cannot treat all causes of back pain because there are also conditions that should be diagnosed and treated by a...