Lower back pain is far to common and sadly most of the adult population will experience it at some point in life. Back pain can have many causes, and symptoms and severity can vary hugely. More severe cases of lower back pain may include disc or nerve involvement. Surgery might be required in really severe cases, Lower Back Pain Treatment though most forms of back pain respond well to more conservative treatment. Even bulging discs can reabsorb, given the right healing environment. Protective muscles spasms are often present with disc and more severe lower back pain issues.

Conservative treatment tends to involve a combination of manual therapy, prescriptive exercise and sometimes changes in habits. Manual therapy may involve forms of soft tissue therapy (STT), joint mobilisation or even manipulative therapy. Soft tissues often play a part in lower back pain, such as myofascial trigger points (MTrP’s) or other inflamed tissues. Trigger points can produce both localised and referred pain. Equally, the cause of lower back pain may relate to where the pain originate or something else. Hence, effective lower back pain treatment needs to consider the bigger picture.

Lower back pain can have both structural and functional components. The structural component may relate to the position of a joint structure. The functional aspect is then how the joint functions, based on its position. Injuries to soft tissue can affect function and thus structure and injuries to structure can effect function. Effective lower back pain treatment needs to address both the structural and functional aspects. Manual therapy involving joint mobilisation or manipulation can work well with structure and prescriptive exercise to a lesser extent. Functional changes are better treated with soft tissue techniques, including myofascial release and prescriptive exercise.

There are many self help options for lower back pain. Most forms of lower back pain respond well to walking, though not all. Sleeping on the side and with a pillow between the knees can also help in many cases. Other simple changes like creating an ergonomic computer setup can make a huge difference too. Often people make the mistake of stretching the back muscles, as the feel tight. If muscles are in a protective spasm, then one might notice temporary relief with stretching, only to then later feel far worse. Generally, it is not a good idea to stretch tissues in spasm, as they spasm more later. Hence, it is best to see a professional in the first instance before embarking on self treatment, as you need to know what you are dealing with.