| How to Understand Back Pain | | | | consultant. Consultants could be rheumatologists |
| Until you feel the pain of it yourself you cannot | | | | or orthopedic specialists (bones and joints) or |
| truly understand the misery thousands go through | | | | even a neurologist (nerve specialist). |
| on a daily basis. Yet according to statistics, the | | | | One drawback with consultants is if they |
| majority of the public in the western world will | | | | determine you have a problem they can deal with |
| suffer some major back pain on one occasion in | | | | it may not yet be serious enough for them to |
| their life. Some people however will go through | | | | consider the risk of surgery. A second drawback |
| pain not just once, but multiple times, or be | | | | is that if they can not find a problem and report |
| inflicted with it continuously for years. | | | | such back to your family doctor, you may not |
| Mysteriously, although injuries such as whiplash, | | | | get referred again to the correct consultant. |
| sports, or poor lifting, can cause back pain, many | | | | Who else is there? |
| have pain for no obvious reason. In rarer cases | | | | Well many massage therapists deal with back |
| there are more sinister causes, which is why no | | | | ache from muscular causes, and those with |
| back pain should be ignored and qualified advice | | | | experience will often tell you quickly if they |
| should be sought within a week. | | | | suspect something else. |
| So when considering back pain one should first | | | | But perhaps the most qualified to look at your |
| ask was there a definite cause. Then if not, is the | | | | back before anyone else are those that spent the |
| cause mechanical (i.e fixable) or not. Then, | | | | longest learning about spines, and spend time |
| depending on the probable cause - how can one | | | | every day working on them – namely |
| control the pain? What self-care prevention | | | | osteopaths and chiropractors. This is to take |
| strategies can one use to ease back pain? What | | | | nothing away from the rest, it is just a fact that |
| treatments are available? | | | | when it comes to the spine Doctors of |
| The fact is back pain can occur from foot | | | | Chiropractic or Osteopathy have had more |
| conditions, such as swelling, heel pain, burning | | | | training and gained more experience. |
| soles, battered ligaments, and so on. Hip problems, | | | | How do I find a good ‘back doctor’? |
| knee problems, sport injuries, car accidents, | | | | First off, do they offer a chance for you to |
| inappropriate bending, and lifting are all associated | | | | come in and meet them, either for free, or for a |
| with back pain. The neck and jaw can also cause | | | | minimal fee. This is mainly to find out if you get |
| back problems by interfering with balance. There | | | | along with the individual as treatment requires |
| are of course many others, but you’re | | | | trust. |
| getting the picture. With the many variants related | | | | Second, do they routinely X-ray everyone, or |
| to back pain, one must become educated on how | | | | only when clinically relevant? Some argue |
| the spine is structured and what happens if that | | | | everyone should be, some say not everyone |
| structure is compromised. Let’s get started | | | | should be – I suggest you go with what you |
| and learn what we can about back pain, and how | | | | want and maybe interview 2 doctors! |
| we can eliminate such stress in our lives. | | | | Third, do they offer more than manipulation? This |
| Who Do You See Once Back Pain Starts? | | | | may be particularly important if you have chronic |
| There are many people who are qualified to | | | | back pain, as long term exercise may be what |
| examine your back and identify possible causes. | | | | you need once initial care has eased the pain. |
| We’ll start with the obvious one – a | | | | Fourth, will more than your spine be examined |
| medical doctor. Well actually, even though they | | | | – i.e. your feet, neck and jaw should be |
| are qualified many doctors are too busy dealing | | | | checked too. |
| with life threatening conditions to offer a proper | | | | Conclusions |
| examination to determine the cause. This is why | | | | At the end of the day, what route you follow is |
| they may refer you for tests such as MRI’s | | | | up to you, and you should feel comfortable with it. |
| or less common these days –X-rays. You | | | | The most important thing is that you don’t |
| may even be referred to a physiotherapist or a | | | | suffer in silence and just get examined! |