Ask the Chiropractor: Can my diet be causing my lower back pain?

According to the CDC, approximately 30% of people in the United States have suffered from an episode of low back pain in the last 12 months.  Low back pain is one of the most common causes of missed time from work and can have a negative impact on an individual’s quality of life. I am often asked whether or not a patient’s diet can affect their lower back pain.

While dietary factors do not cause all lower back pain, there is evidence to suggest that consuming certain foods can result in an increased inflammatory response, which can be a factor in complaints of lower back pain.

Some foods can help reduce inflammation, and others can worsen it. That is why you should pay attention to what you eat if you have back or neck pain. Now may be the time to adopt an anti-inflammatory diet!

If you are dealing with inflammation in your back or neck, you will want to avoid some foods which can increase your body’s inflammatory response.

Adding foods to your diet that decrease inflammation should also be part of your management strategy.

The chart below highlights some foods to add and some to avoid. Visit this link for a free infographic containing a more detailed list of anti-inflammatory foods that could be beneficial.

Foods that INCREASE Inflammation	Foods that DECREASE Inflammation
Refined Grains Grain flour (wheat, corn, oat) Bread Pasta Tortila Donuts and other sweets	Nuts (Raw or Dry Roasted) Almonds Macadamia Walnuts Pecans Brazil nuts Almond or coconut flour
Bad Fats Trans Fats Margarine Corn Oil Safflower Oil Peanut Oil	Green Vegetables Green leafy (spinach, kale, dark green lettuce) Broccoli String beans Cauliflower Just about everything!
Refined Sugars Table Sugar Fructose Confectionary Sugar	Fruits Berries Tomatoes Apples Melons Just about everything!
Cured Meats Cold Cuts Bacon	Meats Grass-fed beef Grass-fed pork Grass-fed lamb Pasture-range chicken Wild game