Many adults may not be aware that children, adolescents, and young adults frequently experience painful conditions. An adult accustomed to the pain of injuries, repetitive stress and old age may find it inconceivable that young people could suffer from similar illnesses. This article will discuss common pain syndromes in young people, recent research detailing this problem, and a natural approach to help alleviate it.
Although we may think that young people are less active than previous generations, a brief evaluation of their activities will show the opposite. How many of the boomer generation participated in extreme sports like half pipe snowboarding, extreme skateboarding or stunt biking? While sports like football, cheerleading, hockey, and lacrosse have been around for generations, recent entrants are practicing and competing at a much more demanding level than ever before. Athletes are bigger, stronger and faster. The cheerleaders perform much more acrobatic and dangerous routines than before. Obviously, youth of all skill levels are at significant risk for injury and consequently painful conditions.
A recent research study in European Journal of Pain, December 2019 detailed this very topic. The researchers reviewed the healthcare use of more than 300,000 Swedes under the age of 24 and found that 15.8% sought treatment for at least one painful condition in 2017, including abdominal pain, joint pain, headache and back and neck pain the most common. Of these people, one in seven saw their health care provider at least four times during the year. These findings suggest that pain is a common complaint among children and young adults.
When it comes to musculoskeletal complaints of joint pain, headaches, neck and lower back pain affecting young people, there are a variety of health care providers that can be consulted. One particular health care specialist to consider is a chiropractor. Chiropractors provide safe, natural, drug-free, non-surgical relief of musculoskeletal pain. The chiropractic profession has a 124-year history of helping people of all ages with these types of problems.
Chiropractic doctors are experts in treating low back pain, neck pain, and headaches. Many of these disorders stem from spinal problems. If the bones of the spine, called vertebrae, are misaligned or move incorrectly, pain can result from irritation of the spinal nerves and joints. Chiropractors are trained to examine not only adults, but also young children, adolescents, and young adults for common painful conditions related to the spine.
Painful conditions are common in children and young adults. These problems should not be ignored. If they are, even more damaging consequences can occur later in life. A chiropractic health care provider should be considered for pain relief for youth suffering from musculoskeletal conditions such as headache, neck pain, and back pain.