How To Get Rid Of Lower Back Pain

Lower back pain isn’t fun, life has plenty of challenges without living with stubborn limiting pain or the threat of crippling pain. The intensity of lower back pain can vary greatly, for some it is little more than an annoyance, for others lower back pain can be so severe that it feels like it’s ruining their life.

To compound all the natural frustrations of living with lower back pain it can be very hard to find a treatment that works. This is demonstrated by the sheer number of people in our society who just live with their lower back pain; in much the same way that large numbers of people used to live with dental pain.

The first step towards a deeper understanding of your treatment options for lower back pain is to learn that lower back pain is not a single condition. The truth is lower back pain is a symptom that can be caused by a range of underlying conditions.

The most obvious distinction that can be made between different lower back pain ‘varieties’ is between relatively straight forward mechanical lower back pain and lower back pain caused by some underlying sickness or disease condition. In other words, you can have lower back pain that is caused by full blown diseases like cancer and inflammatory arthritis.

The topic of mechanical back pain is also not covered by a single condition. There are numerous different types of mechanical lower back pain. The topic of ‘mechanical lower back pain varieties’ is split by 2 layers of distinctions.

There are various types of mechanical lower back pain that are distinguishable from one another by their underlying cause. You may have lower back pain caused by flat feet for example whereas my lower back pain could be coming from the fact that I have no core strength.

There are also various types of lower back pain that are distinguishable from one another by the tissues that are involved. You may have lower back pain that is coming from a specific muscle in your lower spine, whereas my lower back pain could be coming from my sacro-iliac joint or some scar tissue in my gluteal tendons.

So now you know a major part of the reason why there is so much confusion and disagreement on the topic of lower back pain. When there are many different types of back pain there are necessarily going to be many different treatments for back pain. And also we may well find that what worked for our neighbour and co-workers doesn’t necessarily work for ourselves.

Depending on what type of back pain your have, any of the following treatments could be appropriate for you. You might also find that you need a specific combination of the following treatments.

Deep Tissue Massage – for lower back pain can be extremely useful if you have a long standing build up of muscle tension. Muscle tension can build up over time due to almost any form of physical stress or strain if it is severe enough or sustained enough.

Core Strengthening – for lower back pain can be very effective in the longer term if you have lost tone in the deep muscles of your trunk where they meet your spine. It is important to understand that planking and sit ups do not target the core and can increase lower back pain symptoms.

Acupuncture – can bring significant relief from lower back pain for many people, especially if their lower back pain is being generated by muscles that have been overused or injured. Acupuncture is now officially part of international guidelines for treatment of lower back pain.

Dry Needling – can be used in the same way as acupuncture to help reduce episodes of lower pain. Dry needling generally involves placing a needles deeper into the muscle and not leaving it in for as long. Many people find dry needling for lower back pain an extremely useful pain relief tool.

Lower Limb Strengthening – can be an essential topic for lower back pain sufferers who’s issues arise because of alignment issues in their feet and legs. It is fairly common knowledge that issues like flat feet can cause lower back pain. What is less well known is the fact that strength and balance exercises can have a huge impact on this kind of pain.

Scar Tissue Release – in the soft tissues of the lower back can be a very effective way of reducing long standing pain issues. Many of us develop scar tissue in the soft tissues of our lower backs through a combination of old injuries and stubborn postural patterns.

Acupressure – is particularly effective at relieving lower back pain when there is a significant muscular component to the pain. Acupressure can be very useful for lower back pain sufferers with.

Stretching – can be tremendously effective to maintain movement in the spinal tissues of lower back pain sufferers. Stretching can be particularly useful if you spend extended periods of time in certain positions, at work for example.

Spinal Manipulation – Spinal manipulation is now officially part of the international guidelines for lower back pain. So if you thought chiropractors were just quacks and nothing more it turns out you were mistaken.

Percussion Massage – is the use of deep mechanical vibrations to stimulate the nerve fibres within sore muscles in the lower back and hips. A percentage of lower back pain sufferers find percussion massage more effective than any other technique for reducing their pain levels.

Alexander Technique – is an excellent way of unlearning bad postural habits that may be contributing to your lower back pain. Lower back pain is fundamentally a complaint that relates to movement, systems like a Alexander Technique and also Feldenkrais are designed to improve movement and aligment at the level of habit.

Custom Insoles (Orthotics) – are the key to easily resolving stubborn lower back pain for a huge number of people. The fact that we live nearly our whole lives on hard surfaces puts huge strain on the lower spine, if your feet aren’t right it’s very hard for your spine to be right.

Lower back pain will never kill you, but the weaknesses that often cause it might do. As strange as this may sound we now know from quality research that people with weakness in their lower bodies often don’t live as long as those with good strength in their lower half.

The great news is that the research also shows that if we are willing to strengthen and support our bodies in the way that they need us to we have a shot at a much more comfortable, healthy and longer life.

Life is challenging. Over 20 years in the trenches helping people to manage their lower back pain I have come to the belief that life is hard enough without putting up with stubborn pain that can almost certainly be resolved with the right mindset and the right tools.