Back pain affects almost everyone at some time, causing restricted movement and untold misery, stress and discomfort. It also causes millions of people to take valuable time off work, costing companies enormous sums in sick pay and lost production.
What causes back pain?
- poor lifting or incorrect carrying of heavy weights
- poor posture
- unsuitable seats or beds
- sports or other injury
- stress
- pregnancy
- general 'wear and tear'
Osteopathic manipulation has been recognised as highly effective in treating back pain, and the Royal College of General Practitioners issued guidelines for GPs in 1996 which recommended manipulation within six weeks of onset for the relief of acute low back pain.
Osteopaths are trained to identify and treat the specific cause of your back pain, and once you have been treated, they may also advise you on an appropriate rehabilitation and maintenance care plan to prevent a recurrence.
The bones of your spine protect the spinal cord; if they lose their normal motion or position, this can irritate the nerve roots that branch from the spinal cord to the organs and tissues of your body. Sciatica is a general term describing pain in the sciatic region, which extends from the base of the spine down the back and side of the leg. Unless there is a specific injury to this region, pain here is 'referred' from other areas. (The irritation of the nerve in one area can sometimes lead to pain, known as 'referred' pain, in other parts of the body). The nerves that supply the sciatic region come from the lower back.
In order for the spine to be flexible, the vertebrae are joined together by soft tissue structures known as discs and ligaments. Each disc is made up of two parts - a central soft core and outer rings of tough cartilage. The discs allow movement and also help to absorb shock. A slipped disc is the rather inaccurate term used to describe the condition, often in the lower back, where trauma or 'wear and tear' have caused damage to the outer rings of cartilage, so that the core is squeezed outwards. This can eventually result in a bulge which can press on the spinal cord, the nerve root or the nerve itself. It can cause excruciating pain, either in the back or referred elsewhere - for example in the lower leg or foot. Osteopathic treatment can mobilise the spine to reduce any inflammation around the spinal cord or nerves.
Trigger points (sometimes referred to as 'fibrositis') are very common and related to back pain. They occur in the neck or shoulders (often caused by bad posture or stress) or sometimes in the buttock area at the base of the spine. Painful 'knots' form within muscles which have gone into spasm - a reaction which the body triggers in order to tighten muscles round a problem area to prevent further injury. This is why the condition so often occurs in patients who have had a back pain problem for some time.
Your Osteopath will therefore use manipulation to adjust the relevant joint, and also deep massage and soft tissue work to relieve the condition. Since the 'knots' of muscle are often very tender, the soft tissue treatment may be painful at first.
