Back pain affects your movement due to a combination of issues with your muscles, tendons, ligaments and nerves.
It ranges from an annoying niggle that comes and goes, to a massive back spasm that has you flat on the floor.
Persistent back pain can have a big effect on your mood, and unsurprisingly has been linked to depression.
It should be noted that back pain can resolve with time, rest or exercise.
However, if ignored, small issues can add up over time.
All of the below causes of back pain can be safely and effectively treated with osteopathy:
Back pain commonly stems from strains, tension or injury
The main causes are lifting improperly or lifting something too heavy. Also abrupt and awkward movements sustained during sport or physical exertion.
These problems are caused by underlying issues, often age related through wear and tear, that impact your back.
Ruptured and bulging discs: The jelly-like discs that cushion our vertebrae rupture or bulge, placing pressure on a nerve and causing pain.
Sciatica: Simply a bulging or herniated disc placing pressure on the sciatic nerve (the largest one in our body). Read more about that here.
Arthritis: Commonly the onset of arthritis occurs after your mid 40’s. Osteoarthritis is when the protective cartilage that protects your bones breaks down, causing pain, swelling and movement issues.
Curvature of the spine: If your back curves in an unusual way, to one side for example, back pain can result. You can read more about postural correction here.
Osteoporosis: This is when the bones, including vertebrae of the spine, become brittle and porous thus making compression fractures more likely.
There are a variety of examples of how these can trigger back pain:
Here are a list of other potential issues:
Cauda equina syndrome: A bunch of spinal nerve roots at the lower end of the spinal cord that result in a dull pain in the lower back and upper buttocks all the way through to the buttocks, genitalia and thighs.
Cancer of the spine: A tumor on the spine can press on a nerve, resulting in back pain.
Infections: An infection of the spice, a pelvic inflammatory disease, bladder or kidney infection.
Sleep disorder: People with sleep disorders are prone to back problems.
Excess weight: Our bodies are designed to carry only so much weight. Excessive weight places stress on our bodies that can result in back pain.
An Osteopath will only use their hands and brain to skilfully and logically assess your symptoms. We train for many years to feel what is normal and what is in trouble, and Osteopathy is a fantastic method for getting your body back in tip-top shape again.
We don’t use machines or ask you to do endless exercises that you find difficult and don’t help. We just get your body working properly by aligning everything, and getting the parts talking to each other. Treatment is typically very gentle and relaxing. Healing comes naturally without drugs or surgery.
This means you can be well in a truly natural way by assisting the miracle of your body healing itself.
And here's the best bit... By fixing the root cause of your problems, frequently people find that related issues that are connected also show drastic improvement, so you get help with all sorts of issues you didn’t even realise were connected.
