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Back Pain

Back pain chiropractor evaluating upper and lower spine pain on a patient.

Back Pain Treatment in Burbank, CA: Matched to Your Pain's Cause

Back pain that keeps returning typically means your treatment, whether medication or home remedies like ice, didn’t address what caused it. In such cases, you may need targeted care to achieve lasting relief.

More Life Chiropractic offers back pain treatment in Burbank, CA, that identifies the cause of your symptoms and tailors your care plan accordingly. Dr. Bijan Nowzari uses chiropractic adjustments, spinal decompression, and other modalities to address the root cause of your condition and help prevent recurring discomfort.

Understanding Your Back Pain: Acute vs. Chronic, Upper vs. Lower

Back pain is primarily categorized by duration, as this factor often influences the intensity of care you may need.

  • Acute Pain: Your symptoms usually stem from an identifiable injury and last for a short time, usually less than six weeks.
  • Chronic Pain: Your pain can persist for at least three months, long after your initial injury has healed, and may flare up intermittently.

This distinction is important because treatments for acute and chronic back pain differ, with chronic cases often requiring ongoing management.

The location of your discomfort also plays a role. Upper back pain affects your thoracic spine and may result from posture‑related strain, while lower back pain involves the lumbar spine and is commonly linked to an injured disc, muscle, or joint.

Pinpointing the type and location of your symptoms helps your back pain chiropractor determine an appropriate course of care.

6 Common Causes of Back Pain in Burbank Patients

Most cases of back pain trace back to one of these causes, each with its own pattern or duration that shapes your treatment plan.

Muscle Strain

Heavy lifting or overuse can overwork your muscles, causing sharp pain that worsens with movement. Most strains improve within days or weeks with self‑care, though manual therapies may help support recovery and reduce the risk of recurrence.

Herniated or Bulging Disc

An injury can cause part of the soft, jelly-like tissue between vertebrae (spinal discs) to rupture or push outward, pressing on nearby nerves. This may lead to pain that radiates to other parts of the body, such as in sciatica.

Poor Posture

Office worker experiencing lower back pain and posture strain at a desk.

Hours of slouching, such as at a desk, can strain your spine unevenly. It may cause a gradually worsening ache across your shoulder blades or lower back, making you more susceptible to injury.

Spinal Joint Dysfunction

When the small facet joints along your spinal column or the sacroiliac (SI) joints connecting your spine and pelvis become irritated, you may usually feel localized pain that flares up when you lean back or twist your body. 

Overuse Injuries

Sports and repetitive work often strain the same joints or tissues repeatedly. Pain often returns with the same movement and may progress toward chronic symptoms if not addressed.

Degenerative Changes

Disc degeneration, spondylosis, and arthritis develop gradually with age. They often manifest as morning joint stiffness in older adults and may progress over time, making movement increasingly difficult.

Red Flags: When to Skip the Chiropractor and Go to a Doctor or ER

If you notice any of the following, it’s best to see a physician or visit the emergency room before booking your chiropractic appointment. 

  • Cauda Equina Syndrome: Nerve compression at the base of your spinal cord triggers numbness in your groin and loss of bladder or bowel control.
  • Serious Trauma: Severe or worsening pain after a fall or crash needs urgent care to prevent fractures, infections, and internal bleeding.
  • Systemic Symptoms: Pain with unexplained weight loss, night sweats, fever, or a history of cancer can signal infection or malignancy.
  • Progressive Weakness: Worsening numbness or weakness in a leg or foot requires prompt evaluation to rule out nerve damage or neuropathy.
  • Possible Compression Fractures: A partial collapse or break in a vertebra, often linked to osteoporosis, requires medical imaging and care beyond manual therapy.

These conditions indicate injuries that manual, hands-on upper and lower back pain treatments may not adequately address.

However, when your symptoms aren’t as severe, you can reach out to More Life Chiropractic for back pain treatment in Burbank. Our evaluation will help us determine whether manual therapies are sufficient or if you need a referral for emergency medical care.

How We Match Treatment to the Cause of Your Back Pain

Every cause discussed earlier may require a different treatment plan. At your first visit, Dr. Bijan Nowzari will assess your mobility and musculoskeletal condition to help determine the reason behind your pain and then recommend one or more of the following therapies:

Myofascial Release and Physiotherapy for Soft-Tissue Injuries

Chiropractor performing myofascial release and soft-tissue therapy for lower back pain relief.

With strains and overuse injuries, pain usually stems from injured tissue. Myofascial release and instrument-assisted soft-tissue mobilization (IASTM) can help release tension and restrictions, supporting circulation and recovery.

Physiotherapy complements this by rebuilding strength after injury, allowing muscles, tendons, and ligaments to better withstand the demands of work, sports, and daily life.

Nonsurgical Spinal Decompression for Herniated Spinal Discs

Nonsurgical spinal decompression therapy gently stretches your spine to create space between your vertebrae. This may help retract herniated disc material, easing pressure on surrounding nerves.

Research suggests that combining nonsurgical spinal decompression with routine physical therapy can lead to greater improvements in pain, mobility, and function compared to physical therapy alone.

Chiropractic Adjustments for Joint Dysfunction

Chiropractic care helps address mobility problems in the neck, upper back, shoulders, lower back, and pelvis through controlled, targeted adjustments. These techniques may help correct misalignments that strain surrounding muscles, alleviating tension along the spine.

Combined Approach for Chronic Pain and Post-Injury Recovery

Chronic back pain rarely has one cause. As such, our chiropractor may combine adjustments, myofascial release, physiotherapy, and other therapies, depending on the musculoskeletal problems contributing to your symptoms. 

This multimodal approach is also common in post‑injury recovery, where pain often stems from multiple sources.

What to Expect From First Visit Through Recovery

Here’s how a typical course of care may proceed at More Life Chiropractic. Keep in mind this timeline is only an estimate; your recovery depends on your condition, its severity, and other individual factors.

  1. First Visit: Dr. Nowzari reviews your medical history, runs extensive mobility and musculoskeletal exams, and screens for red-flag symptoms. Then, based on his findings, he develops a personalized treatment plan.
  2. Weeks 1 to 2: This phase focuses on easing inflammation through gentle chiropractic adjustments and light soft-tissue therapies. 
  3. Weeks 3 to 6: Your manual therapies are performed at their normal intensity, alongside more targeted IASTM and physiotherapy. 
  4. Weeks 6 to 12: Neuromuscular re‑education and functional exercises help prepare you for full recovery and return to daily activities.

Four Habits to Prevent Your Back Pain From Coming Back

Once you recover, there are some practices you can integrate into your lifestyle to support long‑term spine health:

Person performing foam rolling and mobility stretching exercises to prevent recurring back pain.
  • Improve Your Workspace Ergonomics: Keep your monitor at eye level, feet flat on the floor, elbows at 90 degrees, and use a chair with lumbar support to reduce strain from prolonged sitting.
  • Perform Core Strengthening Exercises: Add planks, crunches, glute bridges, and other core exercises to build lower- and upper-back strength and reduce your risk of injury.
  • Take Movement Breaks: Stand and walk for a couple of minutes every half hour. Prolonged sitting or lying down can weaken back muscles and increase susceptibility to strain.
  • Stretch Regularly: Stretch your entire body several times per week to release muscle tension that may lead to strain and misalignments.

Get Back Pain Care That Matches Your Cause, Not a Standard Menu

Instead of one-size-fits-all treatment plans, More Life Chiropractic in Burbank matches your back pain treatment to the cause of your symptoms. This approach addresses multiple aspects of your condition, helping reduce recurrence and supporting a more comfortable return to daily life.

Schedule your evaluation today.

Frequently Asked Questions

Acute back pain typically lasts less than six weeks and often follows a specific event, such as a sports injury or car accident. Chronic back pain persists for three months or longer, even after the initial injury has healed, and may flare up intermittently. Both may respond to conservative care, though timelines vary.
Disc-related back pain usually worsens when you bend or twist your back. It may also present with nerve‑related symptoms, such as radiating pain, weakness, numbness, or tingling, due to disc material pressing on nearby nerves.
Not always. Dr. Nowzari uses a range of mobility, posture, and orthopedic tests to identify the cause of your back pain. He may review recent imaging results or recommend new ones if needed to more accurately pinpoint your musculoskeletal problem.
In most cases, yes. Mild-to-moderate back pain may respond well to conservative care as the first-line treatment. That said, if your doctor has recommended back surgery, they have likely ruled out conservative care as a sufficient or safe option.
Same‑day appointments are available during business hours, provided the schedule permits. You can fill out our contact form or call 877-883-3674 to request a visit.
Dr. Bijan Nowzari, DC
a scaled Dr. Bijan Nowzari, D.C
Dr. Bijan Nowzari is a board-certified California chiropractor and 2015 graduate of Southern California University of Health Sciences, specializing in auto accident, sports, and occupational injury recovery. Combining advanced manual therapies with a relaxed, patient-centered atmosphere, he focuses on treating root causes to help patients achieve optimal wellness and performance.
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Ready to receive results-driven care? Skip your search for a “chiropractor near me” and reach out to More Life Chiropractic. Dr. Nowzari, our trusted chiropractor in Burbank, will walk you through your options and answer your questions to help you confidently begin your recovery journey. Book a consultation today!

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