Why does my back pain keep returning?

Back pain is one of the most common complaints that GPs are presented with today. In fact, it is estimated that up to 85 per cent of us will suffer from back pain at some stage in our lives.

Although the vast majority make a full recovery over a three-month period, nearly 50 per cent will have at least one recurring episode. So why is that?

We try hard at Not Just Backs to steer you on the right path to recovery, and for it to last as long as possible – so below we’ve listed our top ten reasons why your back pain may be coming back for more…

• You may have a degenerative condition such as osteoarthritis. Even though this cannot be cured, it can be easily managed and many of our patients are on ongoing maintenance programs in order to help keep them as pain free as possible.

• Another potential medical culprit is autoimmune disease. An autoimmune condition is when the body is attacking itself and its own healthy tissue, and there are several types of these in which some are very closely linked to back pain. It is vital that inflammatory back pain is recognised and diagnosed so that it may be managed properly – as osteopaths we are trained to recognise abnormal pain, which is why we always take a detailed case history.

• Occupation. Repetitive motion is another risk factor for back pain, because workers can perform the same movements repeatedly over long periods of time, which can wear on the joints, muscles and tissues involved in the motion in question. For instance, spending a good proportion of your day in a car, typing at your desk for hours on end, or more obviously, work that involves labour.

• Quite simply, bad habits could be the reason for recurring back pain. Everything from sitting with your legs tucked under yourself while watching the TV, to smoking could be the reason. As osteopaths, we always consider these possibilities when you come in for a review.

• Poor muscle tone. Having weak muscles, especially in your core (i.e. stomach), will force you to rely on your spine more heavily – thus resulting in back pain.

• Being overweight. Having additional weight bearing down on your spine causes it to arch more, and these changes put extra force through the facet joints which, in the long term, lead to degeneration.

• Mental health. Whether it be emotional stress, post-traumatic stress, or childhood emotional trauma – emotional trauma of any kind will leave you more susceptible to physical pain.

• Prior physical trauma. If you have suffered from a past injury, such as old fractures that have since healed over or torn muscle tissue, then you may still be suffering because of it – even if this occurred in your childhood. Depending on the physical trauma, these can respond especially well to osteopathy treatment.

• It’s an obvious one –  but never doing anything to sort out your pain! If you have back pain and never get it checked out, then you will almost certainly end up with recurrent issues.

• Finally, similar to the above, is ending your treatment too soon without being discharged by your osteopath. There is a reason that your osteopath has given you a specific course of treatment – you wouldn’t stop taking your medication against your doctor’s orders, would you?

If you are experiencing recurring pain anywhere in the back, from musculoskeletal origin, we can give you a treatment plan to relieve the tension in your back muscles or spinal joints. Even if you are chronic sufferer or have severe degenerative changes in the spine, osteopathic treatment can be an effective tool in managing symptoms and avoiding further progression.

Give us a call on 01722 512043 to book an appointment today.

Stay tuned for the next few blogs where we will be delving even further into back pain, including the importance of finishing treatment, what physically causes problems and how can they be sorted…