Without doubt, the most common questions we get asked on a daily basis here in Physio Performance are:
-Why do I have lower back pain?
-Why did it happen?
-What caused it?
Unfortunately in the case of lower back pain there are no simple answers. As the lower back is such a large area, it can be very difficult to pinpoint the exact origin of a person’s pain. It is for this reason that most people will be diagnosed with non-specific low back pain. This pain can be caused by a number of different structures including muscle spasms, minor ligament sprains and strains or referred nerve pain/irritation.
Back pain is often classed as a multi-factorial issue. This means that many different things can contribute to the onset, severity, duration and resolution of back pain. While clearly we may have suffered a muscle spasm or low-level ligament sprain which has brought on the pain, the severity of the pain we feel can far outweigh the extent of the injury.
For example, simply a poor quality of sleep can influence back pain. In the same way that poor sleep can make us stressed or affect our mood, it can also cause or prolong back pain.
Following the same rationale, things such as stress, low mood and anxiety can have a major influence on back pain.
How we feel can influence the amount of pain we feel, back pain is often triggered following changes in life stress, mood or anxiety levels.
In the same way these factors can be linked to other health conditions such as cold sores, irritable bowel syndrome and tiredness, they have a very large effect on back pain.
Even our beliefs on back pain can have an effect on our recovery times, pain levels and anxiety.
Fear stems from horror stories in which people were seriously debilitated by their pain, leading to time off work, healthcare bills etc. But often these horror stories involve the 1% of people who unfortunately experience serious pathology.
As a result our anxiety around back pain increases, sometimes leading to the common fear of bending and lifting, and a fear of loading the whole back in general. As we guard and deflect away from using our lower back, we open ourselves up to injury.
Often lower back pain is self-limiting and will get better on its own over time, and no matter how painful the initial presentation of pain may be, it is important to remember that pain is a natural phenomenon that we all experience in our lifetime. As much as negative emotions/lack of sleep can influence our lower back pain, a positive outlook can also help to speed up recovery and lead to a reduction in the levels of pain.
The Physio Performance Way:
We have a high volume of patients who are treated daily with lower back pain here in our state of the art clinic in Drogheda.
Initially, our treatment will focus on helping you become pain-free as quickly as possible.
We will educate & empower you to help you understand the cause of your back pain and how you can stay pain-free.
A rehabilitation programme will be customized for you to help you build a more confident and stronger back.
Next step:
Want to get in touch with our team or a therapist or you are looking for some advice?
You can contact us on 041-9877059 or at info@physioperformance.ie. You can also book an appointment online with us HERE.
