Back Pain and Back Pain Avoidance

Which Complementary Therapies can help with Back Pain?

If the back pain has come on suddenly and you are in constant pain then Acupuncture, Osteopathy, Structural Rebalancing and Massage are useful to quickly alleviate this. Once the immediate pain has been relieved it is important to address the underlying tension or problems causing the pain.

For this, or if the back pain comes and goes and you have had it for a while then the following therapies can all help: Acupuncture, Osteopathy, Bowen and Massage.

Back Pain and Back Pain Avoidance

Back Pain: Important Facts

• Only 2-3% of back problems are caused by a single injury.
• Most back pain can be avoided by looking after your back.
• A person may have severe back problems but suffer no pain (the problem precedes the pain).
• Back pain comes and goes, but a back problem develops slowly, over a long period of time.
• Physical therapy may stop your back pain, but to get lasting results you must do your rehabilitation exercises (strengthening and stretching) after your treatment course, and keep doing them, even when your pain recedes!
• Activity and careful exercise heals, not bed rest and avoiding painful activity.

Common Misconception

"My back was fine, then 'I put it out' lifting/turning/bending/sleeping etc."

Back Pain is like heart disease in that it develops due to a cumulative effect of many different risk factors; the more you have, the greater your chance of developing back pain!

Back Pain Risk Factors

• Lack of strength in the muscles supporting the spine (back muscles and deep abdominal's).
• Loss of flexibility and mobility in the spine (leading to poor spine health/circulation).
• Poor posture (head forward, shoulders ‘hunched’, chest ‘closed’, mid back overly curved and/or too much, or too little lumbar spinal curve) .
• Decline in physical fitness (lack of exercise).
• Stressful living and working habits, or depression.
• Faulty body mechanics (moving badly).
• Ergonomic Problems (eg. poorly designed work environment, lifting badly).
• Soft tissue (muscle and fascia) stiffness/tightness.
• Smoking and excessive alcohol & drug (including some prescribed drug) usage.
• Lack of rest/fatigue.
• Hyper mobility or instability of the spine.
• Standing or sitting in static positions for long periods of time (and not supporting your lumbar curve when sitting).
• Being overweight.
• Poor diet.
• Congenital defects (eg. Unequal leg length, Spinal Defects).
• Repetitive wear and tear.
• Traumatic injury.

The best way to avoid back pain is to avoid as many of the risk factors as possible. Keeping fit and doing a Pilate's class each week will dramatically reduce your chance of getting back pain (or having another episode of it).

Having a regular Remedial massage treatment is also an enjoyable way to keep your spine and joints mobile and healthy, helping to avoid back pain and osteoarthritis.

Testimonials

For a number of years I have suffered with lower back pain brought on by a number of issues.  In seeking help, I’d tried everything to no avail.  I knew little about Bowen before experiencing it but was open to try anything to help with pain relief and thank goodness I did.  My experience with Bowen has been nothing but positive, helping me considerably.  Anna has continued to be an incredibly supportive, expert practitioner.

It has been a great help with my localised pain - in my knees and back. With the back up of the Chinese Herbs, it has also helped my phlegm a lot.

“Having suffered from a bad back for a very long time and having tried almost everything out there, Bowen was suggested by a client of mine (I’m a Barber). 

This is no understatement, without Anna and Bowen therapy I don’t know where I would be. 

I highly recommend Anna and Bowen therapy to anyone that has issues with their body.”

 

Having suffered from a bad back for a very long time and having tried almost everything out there, Bowen was suggested by a client of mine (I’m a Barber). This is no understatement, without Anna and Bowen therapy I don’t know where I would be. It is more than 2 years that myself and my family have been seeing Anna for a little tweek now and then, and I have only very good things to say. I highly recommend Anna and Bowen therapy to anyone that has issues with their body.

Bowen really works.

The therapy takes place in a room that is very calming and relaxing. Then Anna takes the time to ask questions and thoroughly go through any health complaints I may be having.

During the treatment I always feel very relaxed and comfortable.

I also trust the work that Anna is doing and feel that because the treatment is gentle and non invasive, my joints are not being manipulated, I know it is safe.

I have gone to Anna with problems of headaches, back pain and stress and the work she does has really helped to alleviate many of those problems.

Having booked in for problems with my legs Judith Peplow has resolved more issues than I knew I had in my back, arms and legs. She has enabled me to continue to walk the moors as well as my farming life. With follow up sessions to settle any new issues I would recommend her body massage to anyone.

'Sonja's therapeutic massage works profoundly!  I experienced a marked improvement in the symptoms of compression in my spine.'  

Huge thanks for sorting my lower back and hips out. When we were talking about the psoas muscle it started to ring alarm bells as I was feeling like my back and hips were getting very tight. Presto! Fine today, no pain in my hips or back.

‘Working on the whole body was the key for me – Sonja's massage really helped my lower back and shoulders to relax.’