Back Pain

A lot of back low back pain settles within a few weeks, but this may become recurrent with further acute episodes in up to 85% of back sufferers. Repeated episodes of back pain cause significant time off work and can affect the person’s quality of life. Chronic pain has adverse effects, disrupting sleep, causing anxiety and depression.

Why does back pain occur?

There are multiple reasons for the causes of back pain. However, it is the understanding of the person that allows an effective treatment plan and then  manage prevention strategies to stop reoccurrences.

Sometimes there is an obvious injury,  several traumas or activities that have led to back pain, sometimes there is nothing obvious or only a slight problem.

Osteopaths look closely at what has happened in the past, including health lifestyle ,work, pastimes, sport ,postural habits to evaluate how their body has reacted and why.

Osteopathic Treatment

Osteopaths have several aims from their diagnosis and treatment, the first being can we treat this? Do we need further tests and assessments ? Is it safe? Before we can treat.

We have to identify the tissue/s causing the pain  e.g muscle injury, joint strain, intervertebral disc damage.

We need to look at the whole musculoskeletal structure of the person  to understand why this back is vulnerable especially if there are repeated, acute episodes. If we can identify the problems of the  spinal mechanics and address this with treatment, which may include exercise, evaluating  the workplace, changing lifestyle, and changing activity. The aim is to prevent reoccurrence and improve the mechanics  and health of the spine.