Low Back Pain
Low back pain is one of the most common reasons people come to see us, and it is also one of the most varied.
It can feel like a dull ache that builds through the day, a sharp catch when you move in the wrong direction, or a stiffness that makes getting out of bed in the morning take longer than it should. It might be something that came on suddenly, or something that has been quietly building for years.
The area from the base of your spine to the top of your pelvis does a lot of work. It connects to your hips, your legs, your core, and the middle of your back. When something is not moving or working well in that region, the effects can spread, and the symptoms you end up with are not always where you might expect.
What causes it
Low back pain can come from muscles, joints, discs, or a combination of all three. Stress, posture, how much you are sitting, old injuries that were never properly addressed, and even tension held elsewhere in the body can all play a part. The list of possible contributors is long, and in practice, more than one thing is often involved.
This is part of why low back pain is so tricky to self-diagnose. The same symptom, say a sharp pain on one side, can have very different origins in different people. Something that looks like a muscle problem on the surface may have its roots in a joint, or vice versa. Getting the cause right is what makes the difference to treatment.
How we can help
An osteopathic assessment is the right starting point. Before recommending anything, our osteopath will take a full history of what has been happening, look at how you move, and build a clear picture of what is actually driving your symptoms. Low back pain rarely presents the same way twice, and our approach always starts from your specific situation rather than a general protocol.
Once that picture is clear, your osteopath will talk you through what they have found and what they think will help. Your treatment plan will be personal to you, and it may change as things progress. We will always keep you involved and explain what we are doing and why.
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Do you need to know exactly what is wrong before you come in?
No. The whole point of the assessment is to work that out. A lot of people come to us with low back pain that they have not been able to get a clear answer on, or with a mixed set of symptoms that do not fit neatly into any category. That is completely normal. If something in your lower back is getting in the way of how you want to live, that is reason enough to come in.
It is also worth mentioning any other symptoms you have noticed, even if you are not sure they are related. Hip pain, leg pain, stiffness in the mornings, pain that comes and goes, things that get better or worse in certain positions. The fuller the picture your osteopath has, the better placed they are to help you.
Common Questions
Should I see an osteopath or a physiotherapist for low back pain?
Both are trained to assess and treat low back pain. At BTC, our osteopaths are musculoskeletal specialists with extensive experience in exactly this kind of presentation. We also have a physiotherapist on the team, and if your osteopath feels a physio-led approach would serve you better, they will tell you.
My back pain comes and goes. Is that still worth getting looked at?
Yes. Pain that comes and goes can sometimes be easier to address than constant pain, because it gives the osteopath useful information about what triggers and relieves it. Intermittent symptoms are not something to ignore or wait out.
I have had back pain for years. Can anything actually help?
Long-standing back pain is something we see regularly and it is very much worth treating, even if you have had it for a long time. In some cases there may be a structural or chronic element that needs ongoing management rather than a single fix, and we will be honest with you about that. But most people with persistent back pain find a meaningful improvement with the right approach.
My back pain also seems to go into my hip or leg. Is that still low back pain?
It might be, or it might point to something more specific, such as sciatica or a disc issue. Symptoms that travel beyond the back are worth paying attention to and are something an osteopath will want to know about. It does not change your first step, which is a full assessment, but it does help us build a more complete picture quickly.
Related Conditions
Sciatica: pain or other symptoms travelling down the leg from the lower back can be a sign of sciatic nerve involvement, which is one of the more common findings in a back pain assessment.
Disc herniation: a herniated or bulging disc in the lower spine is a frequent cause of back pain, sometimes with referred symptoms into the leg.
Pelvic girdle pain: for those who are pregnant or recently postpartum, pain that seems to be in the low back, pelvis, or hips may be pelvic girdle pain rather than a standard back presentation.
Osteoarthritis: wear to the joints of the lumbar spine is a common cause of back pain in older adults, particularly the stiffness that is worst in the morning or after sitting for a while.
Still Not Sure?
If you're in pain and wondering whether we can help, that's exactly why we're here. You don't need to know what the problem is. You don't need a referral. You just need to take the first step. Book online today or call 020 7733 9944 to speak to us.