Low Back Pain Relief - What are the Different Types of Treatment for Back Pain
Everywhere you look there are claims about treatment for back pain, including all sorts of techniques or devices that claim to offer low back pain relief. How on earth do you start to figure out which lower back pain treatments really work and which don't?
To help you make some informed choices about what is available to help you with your back pain relief I will outline the different options and give a brief overview of the research evidence about it.
If your pain is recent read this section on managing acute pain and you will find extra helpful information in my e-book The Back Pain Action Guide which is a six step programme designed to help you get control of your back problem. I talk in a lot more detail in the book about treatment but here is an overview of what is available to you.
Treatment can be divided into two main types of care. Passive or hands on treatment is something that someone does to you like massage. Active treatments need you to do something yourself like exercise. The research generally favours active treatments as the best way to get better low back pain relief. This is linked to the biopsychosocial model of back care. Passive treatment have their place though, I just like to use them in combination with a more active approach as I believe that it helps you to feel more in control if you can do something for yourself and not need to rely on others to do it for you.
Passive or 'Hands on' Treatment for Low Back Pain
| Originating in china acupuncture treatment for back pain relief inserts needles into the skin. | |
| Similar in theory to acupuncture, acupressure involves applying pressure to specific acupuncture points, no needles though! | |
| A western type of acupressure with a different theory. Trigger Point treatment also involves applying pressure but it does not follow acupuncture points (not intentionally anyway!) | |
| New research shows that back massage has real value in patients with chronic lower back pain | |
Manipulation is a bread and butter treatment for many chiropractors and osteopaths, quite a few physiotherapists offer this too. |
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| Spinal Mobilisation is something frequently practiced by physiotherapists. When I trained this was the mainstay of what we offered, times have changed now though and this is less popular. |
Spinal ManipulationMachines and physical treatments
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Products
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Active treatments
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You will always meet someone with back pain who has benefited from something or another and swears by it, but bear in mind that because they have done well with a type of treatment it doesn't mean that you will. Read the evidence for and against, make up your own mind and try it if you think it may help. Whatever you do though don’t get too pulled into the advertising and hype for unproven treatments or for treatments which we know really don’t help –some of them are very expensive.
Remember - there is no proven cure for non-specific lower back pain - if there was none of us would have it anymore!
23-May-2011
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The Back Pain Action Guide is a six step programme that shows you how you can keep living a normal life and stop worrying about your back pain. Click on the image of the book to learn more about what's inside. |
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By reading this web site you agree to accept our terms and conditions. The information on this web site does not replace specific medical advice. Always seek advice from a physician or other qualified health provider about your particular problem.
