Back Pain Relief

Back pain is one of the most common and troubling conditions which affects the musculoskeletal system, with most adults having some experience of it through their lifetime. It varies from an occasional mild strain to a severe and disabling condition which can take over someone's life. Back pain is more common than neck pain although neck pain can be severe and disabling in small numbers of people also.

Treatments for Back Pain

Back pain treatment covers a huge number of different therapies, most of which have no supporting evidence for their usefulness. However people do find intervention gives back pain relief and many therapies will have groups of strong supporters.

Further information is available at NHS Choices and Family Health Guide.

Acute Low Back Pain

This is the sudden recent back pain of an injury, a lift, a twist or just coming on in an unguarded movement. It is often severe and sharp initially an on any movement which stresses the injured part, with a strong ache on resting.

Research work has indicated that the following back pain treatment is best for acute back pain:

1. Don't rest unless you have to and if so not for more than 48 hours.

2. Don't panic – you very likely have just strained or sprained something.

3. Take painkillers regularly as medically allowed and continue with the maximum dose for several days.

4. Pace your activities so you do not spend too much time in any one position – move about regularly.

5. Keep going with your normal activities at a reduced level.

6. Increase your activity levels steadily as your symptoms improve.

7. Go back to work as soon as you can. Do not expect to be symptom free initially.

8. Go back to your back exercises as soon as possible.

9. Reduce your painkillers and stop them when you can.

Back Pain Treatment

Physiotherapy is one of the most common treatments for lower back pain in the UK, with a range of therapy techniques including McKenzie method, joint mobilisations, joint manipulation, back exercises, core stability and physio advice.

A physio will take a history of the back pain symptoms and other relevant factors and examine your spine and other joints. The physiotherapist will form a back pain diagnosis and target their treatment at the specific problems identified. Low back pain is a persistent problem in some cases and you may have to do a lot of work yourself to make a difference over the long term.

It is useful to review reliable information - back pain being a complex problem so it is important to understand that it may not be completely curable and needs to be lived with. A back pain blog can be a useful source of first hand experience of what people go through with back pain and operations.