Back Pain is an extremely prevalent condition in the UK. Incidence statistics show that 80% of the population will experience back pain at some point in their lifetime, with almost half the adult population experiencing some form of back pain every year.
Back pain can be caused by any number of reasons and identifying where the pain is coming from is the first step in effectively managing and treating the pain. For this reason, every new patient starts their treatment at ProBack with a full consultation and examination to determine what isn’t functioning correctly within their spine and to therefore identify the source of pain. This is especially important in the early stages of pain, as the identification and subsequent actions can prevent a condition becoming more severe or chronic.
Back pain can affect people in different ways, and can vary from mild, intermittent or niggling pain, all the way to a chronic, disabling, severe pain.
It is common to experience just one, or multiple of the following symptoms:
Since all segments of the spine have much in common; the potential for these symptoms to be found anywhere within its 3 sections is easily understood, having said that upper back pain symptoms often differ from lower back pain symptoms along numerous classic pathways. ProBack Therapists are experts at recognising and treating these patterns of dysfunction.
Back pain can be spilt into several areas:
There are a wide number of conditions that affect the lower back, also known as the lumbar region. Whilst pain is often local to the joint or tissue that is dysfunctioning, it is also common to experience referred or radicular pain due to the nervous system that flows through the lower back. In these cases, pain generally follows the nerve pathways and flows down from the lower back, into the buttocks, legs, calves or feet… Medical Doctors are sometimes guilty of calling all leg pain sciatica; however, there are many varied types of leg pain described to you further by clicking this link.
Conditions that affect the lower back include:
Pain in the middle back, also known as the thoracic region, is somewhat different to the top and base of the spine as it is the area which has attached the rib bones, in order to protect your vital organs. The mid back, due to being twelve segments long, is often differentiated into the upper middle back (relating primarily to neck and arm pain) and the lower middle back (relating primarily to the lower back and hip pain).
Conditions that specifically cause lower middle back pain are:
Conditions that specifically cause upper middle back pain are:
Upper Middle Back Pain has close links to posture and a rounded kyphosis or increased spinal curve in this area can have considerable effects on neck and lower back pain as well as vice versa.
The neck or cervical spine are often thought as separately from the ‘back’ however the cervical vertebra as the upper most portion of the spine has a uniquely important function. The neck is a narrow extremity that connects our heavy head with our sturdy thorax, thus making it prone to absorbing large forces like those that occur during a whiplash scenario. However, the neck is highly influential in this modern day, in terms of its posture and the effect that poor positioning can have on the 15 billion nerve messages per minute that pass through this region.
Problems in the cervical region can cause pain locally but also can radiate tension causing upper middle back pain as well as being responsible for a large number of headaches, irritation to the discs and nerves often result in a neurological pain that is transmitted into the shoulder and down the arm, forearm wrist and hands. In addition to headaches neck problems are also linked with Jaw Pain, sinus issues, dizziness, poor energy levels, lack of concentration as well as a lack of, or poor-quality sleep.
Conditions that affect the cervical spine are:
Treatment plans for patients with upper, middle and lower back pain vary greatly depending on the condition and severity of the problem; but can be split into two general phases in order to achieve the best results and pain relief. Phase one consists of pain-relieving care; Phase two is a continuation of these protocols but focuses on rehabilitative and spinal correctional care in order to prevent relapsing of the condition as much as possible.
Due to the unique blend of technologies with the ProBack clinics, often patients benefit from combining different therapies in order to correct the problem, below is a brief overview of our back-pain treatment options.
For disc problems and trapped nerves, spinal decompression therapy is one of the best treatments to try. Using a gentle traction, spinal decompression uses a small percentage of your body weight to stretch the spine. The gentle stretch helps to pull the discs away from the nerves, easing the pressure and helping to relieve pain associated with compressed nerves. By creating a vacuum in the disc space, we allow nutrients and increased blood flow to penetrate the disc creating an optimal healing environment.
Shockwave Therapy is often used in the treatment of back conditions either on its own or in combination with other forms of treatment. It can be particularly helpful in conditions relating to bad posture, spinal misalignment, muscle or joint strains and myofascial syndromes. As a gentle alternative to manual manipulation, this back-pain treatment decreases muscle tension and helps break down scar tissue. This scar tissue causes the body to become stiff and sore, preventing oxygen and vital nutrients reaching damaged areas. Breaking down the scar tissue increases vital blood flow restoring the nutrient supply to the injured area and allowing the body’s healing process to work more effectively. The shockwave machine can also detect and correct misalignments in the spine, helping to correct posture.
Laser therapy can reduce inflammation and relieve pain when conditions are chronic, severe or characterized by longer healing times such as arthritic patients and/or those with diabetes. The therapy stimulates the tissues deep down in the area being treated and when used in combination with other therapies can significantly accelerate healing and pain relief.
Spinal remodelling is used in the clinic to correct spinal alignment and improve the sustainability of back pain treatment results into the longer term, reducing the risk of relapse. It uses heavily researched and prescription only spinal orthotics to restore lost alignment. When the spine is misaligned, there is more pressure on the delicate disc area, which can increase the risk of injury. By re-aligning the spine into a better position, less stress is put on the spine, reducing the risk of injury and helping to maintain the condition of the spine for as long as possible.
By starting off your back-pain treatment with us with a detailed examination, we’ll be able to see exactly what kind of posture you have, where any misalignments are and what kind of conditions have prevented you from achieving results from past treatment. We’ll then tailor a treatment plan to suit exactly your needs, featuring exercises, stretches and a recommendation of which spinal supports may be appropriate to help you achieve the best results.
Back or muscle strains can be the most common form of back pain, these can occur in a number of different ways. For example, sports injuries, incorrect posture when sitting for long periods of time, or when lifting. General wear and tear from an ageing spine can be a common cause, while more severe injuries to the back may occur as a result of a trauma from an accident, or perhaps as a result of back surgery.
Exercises are a fantastic way to strengthen muscles that support the spine, facilitate effective circulation and increase the flexibility of your body. Depending on the severity of a patient’s condition, exercises should be introduced into a treatment plan only when pain levels have decreased to a point where range of motion is not severely compromised. For example, if a patient is unable to put on a coat without feeling back pain, they may not feel confident to perform an exercise such as a lank. As a guideline, ProBack’s practitioners introduce gentle exercises into a treatment plan after the first six to twelve treatment sessions have been completed, although many will be ready to begin light exercises before this point.
The most common causes of lower back pain can often be as a result of a disc problem, for example Degenerative Disc Disease or a slipped disc. It is also possible to have muscle strains in the lower back area of the spine, this can be as a result of a sports injury or a result of having incorrect posture when doing everyday activities such as sitting for long periods of time or lifting.
Once the underlying cause of your back pain has been identified, we can discuss the degree to which we believe your condition can be corrected. Our aim at ProBack is to help to solve the problem as much as we can in the long run. With regular treatment and closely monitored spinal remodeling, we can help your condition to be as manageable as possible.
SYMPTOMS
Back Pain
TREATMENT
Radial Shockwave Therapy
K-Laser Therapy
Vladimir’s story started with knee pain. He had experienced this for a number of years alongside an underlying back problem. After surgeries and multiple injections to his knee with no relief, his back pain only got worse. This forced Vladimir to stop working and spiral into depression.
Flat 4, Evelyn Mansions,
Carlisle Place, Westminster,
London, SW1P 1NH
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