Back pain is one of the most common reasons people come through our doors in Saugus — and it rarely feels the same for any two patients. For some it’s lower back pain that flares after lifting, sitting too long, or a restless night. For others it’s upper back pain across the shoulders and between the shoulder blades that builds over a workday. Wherever it settles, back pain can make simple things — bending, driving, sleeping — feel like a chore.

What causes back pain?

Your back is a stack of bones, discs, joints, muscles, and nerves that all have to work together. When something in that system is irritated or out of alignment, pain follows. Common triggers we see include:

  • Strains from lifting, twisting, or overdoing a task
  • Long hours sitting or standing in one position
  • Disc problems and nerve irritation, including sciatica
  • Old injuries from sports, work, or an auto accident that never fully settled

Back pain can be a sharp catch, a deep ache, stiffness first thing in the morning, or tightness that spreads into the hips or shoulders. Because the causes vary so much, guessing at treatment rarely works — which is why we start every visit by finding out what’s actually going on.

How we treat back pain at Briggs

We’re a non-surgical, drug-free, evidence-based practice. After a thorough exam and health history to pinpoint the real source of your pain, we build a plan that may draw on several of our services working together. Gentle chiropractic adjustments and advanced spinal correction relieve pressure on the joints and nerves and restore proper alignment. One-on-one physical therapy — following one consistent plan — uses exercise and spinal rehabilitation to rebuild the strength and mobility that keep your back supported for the long run.

When inflammation is part of the picture, Class IV laser therapy delivers targeted light energy that eases pain and speeds your body’s natural healing, with no medication and no downtime. We also draw on techniques like intersegmental traction, therapeutic ultrasound, and massage to loosen tight tissue and calm painful areas so the rest of your care can take hold.

Nothing is done in our office without your consent, and every plan is paced to what your body can tolerate. With over 26 years serving the North Shore, our goal is the same for lower back pain and upper back pain alike: real relief, and the tools to keep it from coming back. We accept most insurance, including Medicare, personal injury from auto accidents, and workers’ compensation.