A problem that won’t go away
When you need help with back pain you want to be confident it will work. Worryingly, back pain is now a real problem among the general public. And it is a major reason why people take time off work.
Understandably, however, you’ll be most concerned about how to treat your individual case. Nevertheless, the scale of the problems means there are a number of scam treatments out there. And we are keen to separate the wheat from the chaff.
Simple changes to help with back pain
Clearly, not all back problems have the same cause. Typically though, issues arise for a few core reasons. The most common cause seems to be spinal mechanics. These are related to activities that put your back out of alignment. Lack of exercise, poor posture and inappropriate footwear, can all cause havoc with your back.
Furthermore, other causes of back problems include over-exertion, being overweight, inflexibility and poor diet.
Evidently, this means there are small changes you can make that might help your back. These include;
- Improving diet
- Losing weight
- Increasing flexibility
- Having a DSE done at your desk
- Exercising more
However, in some instances, the pain may still persist. And if that’s the case, extra care may be needed.
So how can osteopathy help with back pain?
Firstly, if you are new to osteopathy, you might be asking is it a credible treatment? Is it science-based? The simple answer is, yes. It is something we covered in more detail in a previous blog.
But also, you might be interested in how osteopathy tackles the causes of back pain.
Osteopathy has a few vital aims. One of these is to increase movement in your joints. Clearly, the spine is a joint that often becomes stiff and immobile. Increasing the flexibility and range of movement in the spine is a great starting point for improvement.
Nevertheless, pain is not always associated with problems in the direct vicinity. Evidently, many issues with back pain result from stiffness and tightness in other parts of the body. This is commonly known as referred pain.
This is why osteopathy can be so effective. It is a holistic practice that addresses the body in its entirety. By clearing up issues in areas such as the hips, knees or neck, for example, it can help alleviate back problems.
In addition, osteopathy also helps to relieve muscle tension. Most osteopaths use a technique called myofascial release therapy.
A combination of releasing stiffness from joints and relaxing muscles can work wonders. It has the advantage of helping improving posture. This is crucial in preventing further re-occurrence of the back pain.
Osteopaths also have a whole other bag of tricks to help reduce back problems. They use techniques such as muscle energy techniques, counter-strain, and functional manipulation. They may sound fancy, but they have proved highly effective in combating discomfort.
Find out more about how these techniques can help with back pain. Contact us and we will set you on the road to recovery. You can find us in Mill Hill Broadway and Islington. For further information or find an osteopath visit https://www.osteopathy.org.uk/home/