Back Pain Prevention and Treatment Tips

In this article we discuss:

Types of back pain
What causes back pain
Back Pain Symptoms
Back Pain Prevention
Treatment Plan and Options for Lower Back Pain
When should I see a health professional about lower back pain
3 Common Physical therapies that may help with back pain
Frequently Asked Questions

Back pain is a common problem that affects millions of people each year. It can be caused by many different factors including injury or disease. The most important thing to remember when dealing with back problems is that they should never interfere with your daily activities. If you experience any symptoms such as severe weakness, numbness, tingling, burning sensation, loss of balance, or coordination, it’s best to seek medical attention immediately.

Types of back pain:

Flexion Dominant back pain
Extension Dominant back pain
Neurogenic
Inflammatory back pain
Chronic pain
Acute pain
Neck, Upper, Middle, or Lower back pain
Often pain in the lower back is associated with leg, hip, and knee pain.

What causes back pain - What is causing this pain in my back?

The causes of back pain vary depending on where the pain occurs. Also, back pain is often multi-dimensional issue and can be caused or made worse by a number of factors including; stress, anxiety, emotional strain, and lifestyle issues. The causes of low back pain can be divided into two categories: mechanical or non-mechanical. Non-mechanical (often termed non-specific back pain) is the most common form of back pain. it is pain in the back without any identifiable or relevant structural problem or damage. Mechanical problems may include a herniated disc, spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, and degenerative arthritis.

The following conditions may be the cause of lower back pain:

Soft tissues injured such as strains, ligaments, tight muscles, or other tissue damage
Muscle weakness - specifically back and core muscles
Sciatica - compression of sciatic nerve
Osteoarthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis
Fractures
Intervertebral Disc herniation, slipped disc, or degenerative disc disease
Lumbar spinal stenosis
Overall health: Weakened abdominal muscles can't support the spine, which can lead to back strains and sprains.
Structural problems: Severe back pain can result from conditions, such as scoliosis, that change spine alignment.
Poor posture
Disease or medical conditions: People who have a family history of osteoarthritis, certain types of cancer, and other diseases have a higher risk of low back pain.
Nerve compression: Nerves running through the spinal cord can become irritated if they're pinched between two vertebrae. This condition is called nerve root compression syndrome. The numbness and tingling sensation usually starts near the buttocks and moves toward the feet.
Workplace injuries. A workplace accident involving repetitive motions such as typing or driving could result in chronic low back pain.
Spinal column injury
Pregnancy
Age: The older we get the more our chances increase from developing conditions that cause back pain. We also lose a lot of strength in our muscles and bones which take away the support our spine needs to function optimally.

If nerves get compressed repeatedly, they stop sending messages to the brain about where the body parts should go. For example, numbness in the leg could mean that a blood vessel has been cut off.

Back Pain Symptoms - What are the symptoms of lower back pain?

Pain in the spine that alters your ability to move or function normally
Back pain that radiates down into the leg
Muscle spasms
Sudden onset of sharp shooting pains
Pain or altered function in the hips or knees
Difficulty walking because of pain
Trouble sleeping at night due to discomfort

The following symptoms may indicate that you need to seek more urgent medical attention for back problems:

Difficulty walking because of leg weakness or numbness
Changes with your bladder or bowel movements

Prevention - How to Prevent Lower Back Pain?

The best way to avoid back pain is to stay active and healthy. Also managing stress and emotional strain and making good lifestyle choices, such as staying active, getting restful sleep, and eating well can be very beneficial.

Getting regular aerobic activity through yoga, pilates, stretching, or other forms of exercise that encourage increasing and maintaining a good range of motion of body movements. Exercise also helps strengthen your heart and lungs, making them better able to pump oxygen throughout your body. It also strengthens your muscles and joints, helping you maintain good posture.

Getting regular manual /physical therapy may also support preventing the onset of conditions that trigger pain.

Treatment Plan and Options for Lower Back Pain

What are the treatments for lower back pain and what is the fastest way to relieve back pain?

There are many ways to treat low back pain. Some pain treatments work well for relief. Your doctor or primary health professional will recommend what works best for you based on your condition. You might try self-care first before seeking professional help.

Natural self-care treatments for lower back pain include:

Spine-friendly, low-impact, daily activity in order to keep the spine mobile and prevent it from stiffening up.
Applying ice/heat packs to the area - may reduce pain which, allows muscles to relax
Massage: Self-massage or from a trained massage therapist.
Make sure you are getting a good night's rest - this not only refers to the number of hours you sleep but also the quality of sleep as well as a proper supportive mattress and pillow that supports back health.
Mobility exercise combined with breathing training such as Yoga or Pilates and practice mindfulness - Mobilisation and stretching exercise combined with mindfulness practices relax our minds and our bodies which can help with the pain.
Drink water and eat nutritious food 0 studies show that a lack of certain nutrients and water can cause our muscles to spasm and cramp and increase pain. Loss of bone density can also occur which relates to osteoarthritis

Seeking treatment early may help prevent long-term damage to joints and ligaments. In some cases, surgery may be necessary to correct structural abnormalities.

*It is important to remember that having structural changes or damage in the spine, such as a spinal disc injury, does not mean you will have back pain or that this is the cause of your pain

When should I see a health professional about lower back pain?

Lower back pain usually goes away with sufficient rest and treatment but seeing a professional is important if the back pain does not subside, if it gets worse or if it keeps returning. It may be advisable to see a healthcare professional:

If you still have pain after a week of at-home care
Feelings of numbness, muscle weakness, or tingling sensation in the upper or lower limbs
Severe pain accompanied by spasms that prohibit normal everyday actions
Unable to do regular exercise or everyday activities.
Other strange symptoms that might seem unrelated such as fever, weight loss, bowel/bladder issues which could be an indication of a more serious complication.
The pain becomes more intense.

3 Common Physical therapies that may help with back pain can be provided by:

Osteopathic treatment.
Physiotherapy
Chiropractic

How can an Osteopath help my back pain?

Pain Specialists such as Osteopaths use a holistic, natural, drug-free approach to treat all sorts of pain in the body. They do this by means of physical manipulation in order to correct muscle imbalances, structural alignments, increase joint mobility, massage and release muscles and ease the pain.

When it comes to back pain, people complain about various symptoms, ranging from stiffness to severe pain in different locations from the top of the neck to the pelvis. For some, the pressure from the back on the nerves may be the cause of numbness in the legs and arms while for others it just feels like pins and needles. Such forms of pain can come on suddenly or over time, and be located anywhere in the spine.

Whether it’s lower back pain, middle back pain, or upper back pain, there is some evidence that osteopathic medicine is effective for treating it. As the cause of pain differs from one individual to another, sometimes it may involve treating other body areas such as the neck, the hips, or the knees.

https://bodytonicclinic.co.uk/how-to-use-osteopathy-to-treat-back-pain-a-complete-guide/

At The Osteopathic Centre, our osteopaths aim to help you first identify, through a physical examination, why you are experiencing the symptoms and also what underlying mechanisms may be contributing to the problem. From that understanding, we can then help with recommending a holistic, manual therapy approach to resolving the underlying issue and helping relieve the symptoms.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the risk factors for developing low back pain?

Some conditions might put you at a higher risk of developing back pain, such as:

Age: The older you get the more common back pain gets. As we get older we lose bone mass and bone density which can lead to osteoporosis which can further lead to fractures or pressure on the vertebral discs. These discs also start to lose flexibility and fluid which decreases their ability to act as shock absorbers.
Fitness level: Generally speaking, the fitter you are the lower the chances are of getting back pain as your muscles (specifically your lower back and abdominals) are conditioned and constantly stimulated to strengthen. This provides your back with the proper support it needs. Physical activity also keeps your joints supple, lubricated, and pain-free. This is obviously excluding sports injuries. Low-impact aerobic exercise can be a great way to help maintain the integrity of intervertebral discs.
Weight gain: Large amounts of weight gain can put extra strain on the lower back
Genetics: Conditions such as ankylosing spondylitis (a form of arthritis that is caused by the fusion of spinal joints leading to lack of mobility), have a genetic component.
Job-related factors: A job that requires manual labour or heavy lifting can be another reason. Similarly, a job that requires many hours of sitting behind a desk with improper posture can also lead to back issues. Our back is not designed to sit for long periods of time as it creates immense pressure on our vertebral spine and nerves. This can also be related to school children and carrying heavy books in a backpack incorrectly.
Mental health and psychological factors: Stress can affect the body in numerous ways over a period of time, including causing muscle tension. Stress also affects our pain receptors and makes us more sensitive to pain.
Smoking: Restricts blood flow and oxygen to vertebral discs which speed up the degeneration of the discs within the spinal canal.

I Have Severe Back Pain and Sciatica That Have Not Improved Even with Treatment. What Should I Do?

For any pain that has not subsided a medical professional who specialises in the area of back pain treatment, should be part of the action plan towards recovery.

Aside from a Slipped Disc, What Are the Other Causes of Recurring Leg and Back Pain?

There are several reasons why someone would experience recurring leg and back pain. Some of these include:

Injury
Pregnancy
Osteoarthritis
Sprains, strains, fractures, and damaged ligaments or other tissue
Structural problems or muscular imbalances
Bad posture
Genetics
Nerve compression
Age

How do I know if my back pain is serious?

If symptoms persist longer than 2-3 months then it may indicate the need for further investigation. Seeking professional help is important if the pain persists. In doubt?

Arrange a call with our team of Osteopaths to know more about how we can help. Click on the ASK THE OSTEO button now.