About back pain
Bad back pain affects up to 80% of us at some point in our lives. The NHS spends more than £1 billion per year on back pain related costs, but even more money is lost through absence from the workplace caused by excessive aches and pains.
Your spine is made of solid, bony blocks reinforced by strong ligaments and muscles. It is surprisingly difficult to damage your spine but if strained, the surrounding muscles and ligaments can cause discomfort and pain.
How can your osteopath or physiotherapist help?
Osteopaths and Physiotherapist are allied health professionals, and their treatments are a safe and effective form of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment for a wide range of health problems, including back pain. Often back pain resolves quickly by itself, but if it persists for more than a few days an osteopath or physio may be able to help.
Osteopaths and Physio’s will often use gentle hands-on techniques to help resolve your back pain, together with exercise and advice designed to promote and maintain the best environment for a healthy back.
Research evidence shows that these treatments can have beneficial effects, especially for back pain, helping you to return to normal activity.
The UK National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) provides guidance for health services and recommends manual therapy, such as that provided by osteopaths and physios, as part of a package of care for the management of low back pain and sciatica. Treatment at Walnut Grove is based on the individual needs of the patient and will vary depending on your age, fitness and diagnosis, but often focuses on releasing tension, stretching muscles, and mobilising joints – all of which may help to relieve your pain. You do not need to consult your GP before you visit us, although you may wish to do so.
What to expect
Practitioners at Walnut Grove are highly trained professionals who are skilled in diagnosing health issues, including those, which may require further investigation.
When you first visit, you’ll be asked about your current symptoms and medical history. All information will be treated as confidential in accordance with the standards of practice set out by the General Osteopathic Council, The Chartered Society of Physiotherapists, The Health and Care Professions Council and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), May 2018.
Back pain is not normally caused by anything serious, though it is natural to worry about your symptoms and the cause. Your practitioner will always complete a routine examination that checks for more serious diagnoses and will advise and discuss with you any further action that might be required.
After this examination, your practitioner will discuss your treatment options and you will then jointly decide an appropriate and suitable treatment plan, and the likely associated costs. This plan may involve several visits and, very occasionally, further tests and/or referrals to another appropriate health care professional.
Your treatment may begin at your first appointment. You may experience mild discomfort afterwards, but in most cases, this will pass within 24-48 hours. If you have any concerns about your treatment you are encouraged to discuss those with us. If you wish, you are more than welcome to bring someone with you to your consultation.
How you can help yourself
Here are some tips that will help you to care for your back:
- Keeping active can help with most back pain and will keep your back healthy. Prolonged bed rest is usually not good for your back and delays recovery
- When lifting and carrying always keep the item close to your body. Make sure to bend your knee and let your legs do the work. Try not to twist your back – turn with your feet
- Take regular exercise (aim for 30 minutes every day). People who are physically fit generally experience less back pain and recover faster if they do get it
- Pace yourself when undertaking any physical activity, especially when it is intensive, or you are unaccustomed to it e.g., spring cleaning or tidying the garden after the winter
- Adjust your car seats, use a rolled-up towel or small cushion if there isn’t much Lumbar support to help the seat fit your back better. Also take regular breaks on long journeys.
- Working from home has caused many back problems. Make sure your workstation is adapted for your needs just the same as if you were in the office and remember to take regular breaks – it’s easy when not distracted at home to sit for hours at a time – try and at least stand up and move around for a minute every 20 minutes
- Mattresses and sofas wear out over time and can cause back pain. If you have one that is over seven years old, it may be time to get a new one.Early diagnosis and treatment can aid recovery and get you back to normal activities more quickly.
Around half of those who suffer an episode of back pain will have a recurrence of symptoms within a few months or years. Stress can increase the amount of pain you feel by magnifying the effect of tension and muscle spasms. At Walnut Grove, we can give you advice about methods to aid your recovery and maintain a healthy back.
REMEMBER:
Back pain is rarely due to any serious disease and the long-term outlook is good. If you do have any concerns about your back, you can discuss these with us – give us a call we are happy to give initial advice over the phone.
