Moving away from bursitis, impingement and rotator cuff tears
Understanding Shoulder Pain: Why the Labels Are Changing In my early years of practice, I frequently used diagnostic labels like rotator cuff tear, subacromial
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How to relieve lower back pain?
Your Guide to Getting to the Bottom of Lower Back Pain:
Lower back pain—ugh, it’s something nearly everyone will deal with at some point. Whether it’s a stiff lower back after a long day at work or that sharp pain from lifting something the wrong way, it’s frustrating. But here’s the good news: figuring out what’s causing your lower back pain is the first step to kicking it to the curb! Let’s dive into what happens when you visit our osteopaths for an assessment. Ready to learn all about how they’ll get to the bottom of your pain? Let’s go!
So, What's Causing Your Lower Back Pain?
Before we talk about the diagnostic process, it’s important to know what could be going on inside your back:
- Muscle Strains and Sprains: This is the classic “oops, I moved the wrong way!” scenario. A muscle strain happens when your muscles stretch too far, while a sprain involves the ligaments (the tough bands that hold your bones together) getting stretched or torn. In the majority of cases, no tear is present, even if the pain feels severe.
- Disc Bulge or Herniation: Your spine is made up of bones (vertebrae) and cushions in between them called discs. If one of these discs is overstretched and becomes inflamed, it might irritate a nerve, causing pain that shoots down your legs (hello, sciatica).
- Degenerative Disc Disease: Over time, those discs can start to lose their cushiony power. This may make your spine feel stiff and achy, especially if you work in a sedentary job or have other reasons that you’re sitting still a lot.
- Osteoarthritis: Often (incorrectly) referred to as “wear and tear” on your spine’s joints that leads to pain, stiffness, and a little less flexibility. These changes can be normal parts of aging and are not always painful. Even if you have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis, we can improve the pain experience in the majority of cases with the right treatment approach.
- Chronic or Non-Specific pain: Perhaps, like a significant percentage of patients, your lower back pain does not have an obvious specific tissue or injury that is seemingly causing it. This does not mean that your pain is not real or that an injury has been missed, instead, this points to a cause that involves sensitive nerves rather than an injury of the muscles or joints.
So, how do you figure out which one of these is causing your pain?
Why You Need a Thorough Assessment
Trying to treat back pain without knowing what’s causing it is like trying to fix a leaky tap without checking where the leak is. That’s why seeing an osteopath for a detailed assessment is a helpful first step to getting you back to feeling like yourself.
Here’s how an osteopath will help you figure it all out:
1. Your Health Store: Let's Talk About That Back Pain!
When you first meet your osteopath, they’ll ask a lot of questions about your pain. This is your time to shine as the expert on your own body! They’ll want to know:
- When did your lower back pain start?
- What kind of pain are you feeling? Is it sharp, dull, or achy?
- Did you do something specific to cause the pain (like lifting something heavy or twisting the wrong way)?
- Have you had any back issues in the past?
- Are you feeling any other symptoms, like tingling or weakness, that could mean a nerve is involved?
- How has your general health been? Have you been stressed, sick or tired recently?
This is like the detective part of the process—gathering clues to figure out what’s going on.
2. The Physical Examination: Time to Move Around
Next up, your osteopath will do a physical examination. They’ll check your posture, feel for any tender spots on your back, and see how you move. You might be asked to:
- Move your back in different ways: Can you bend forward, backward, or twist without too much pain? How does your back feel when you do? They’ll check for stiffness and pain, which can tell them a lot about the muscles or joints involved.
- Test your strength: They’ll check how strong your muscles are and whether certain movements cause pain. Weakness or pain when pushing or pulling can point to muscle or nerve problems.
- Palpate (aka, feel) your back: This might sound a bit clinical, but it’s all about finding tight spots or areas of muscle tension. These can often be the culprit behind muscle pain or sprains.
- Watch you walk around: To see if your bdy is protective of a certain area or is trying to avoid certain movements or positions.
3. Nerve Check: Let's See If Your Nerves Are Involved?
If your osteopath thinks the problem might be related to your nerves (like from a disc bulge), they’ll check how well your nerves are functioning. Some tests might include:
- Reflex checks: These quick taps on your knees or ankles help your osteopath see how your nervous system is doing.
- Sensation tests: Your osteopath might gently touch your skin to see if there are any changes in how you feel things. For example, if you can’t feel a touch in certain areas, it could point to nerve irritation.
- Straight Leg Raise Test: This one’s a classic! If lifting your leg causes pain or tingling down your leg, it could mean your sciatic nerve is being pinched by a bulging disc.
4. Imaging (If Needed): More Tools to Solve the Mystery
If your osteopath suspects something that may require different treatment options, they may suggest further tests like an MRI or X-ray. These scans give a detailed look at your spine and can help confirm what’s causing the pain. These tests are commonly used to check for the presence of nerve compression (such as in disc injuries) or if there has been a traumatic cause of the pain (such as in a car accident).
While an assessment with an osteopath can often give them enough information to start treatment, imaging is sometimes needed to rule out more complex issues. It’s like giving the detective a magnifying glass for the final clue!
5. Diagnosis & Treatment Plan : Time to Get Back on Track
Once your osteopath has all the clues, they’ll give you a diagnosis—finally! Whether it’s a muscle strain, sprained ligament, or disc bulge, or non-specific back pain knowing what’s going on is key to fixing it. They’ll then create a treatment plan specifically for you. Treatment might include:
- Manual Therapy: This includes techniques like spinal manipulation or massage to help relieve tension and improve mobility.
- Exercise Therapy: Strengthening and stretching exercises to support your back and improve flexibility.
- Posture Tips: Your osteopath may give you advice on how to adjust your posture, both at work and home, to keep you comfortable and ease any discomfort preventing you from being able to undertake regular movement.
- Pain Relief: Depending on your condition, your osteopath might recommend heat, ice, or topical or oral medications.
- Behavioural advice: A lot of back pain can occur during times of stress or poor general health. Your Osteopath may discuss sleep, nutrition, exercise or stress management skills to optimise your recovery.
Why the Diagnostic Process Matters
Think of it like this: getting a diagnosis is the first step in creating a clear path to recovery. Whether your pain is from a sprain, a disc bulge, or another cause, the diagnostic process ensures that your treatment is tailored to your specific needs. So, don’t ignore the pain—let the professionals do their thing and help you feel better, faster!
If you’re struggling with lower back pain, book an appointment with an osteopath. They’ll help figure out what’s going on, guide you through the treatment process, and get you back to feeling like yourself in no time
We’re happy to answer any questions you might have, please email us if you need any advice! info@chadstoneregionosteo.com.au
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