Lower back pain is a common concern for our Brisbane patients, and if you have questions about diagnosing the cause of back aches and treating them, keep reading.
Before we talk about treating lower back pain, however, we’re going to discuss some recent research about scans for lower back pain and how findings from imaging can sometimes cause unnecessary concern.
Scans for Lower Back Pain
If you’ve been suffering from lower back pain recently, you may have been referred for a scan such as an X-Ray, MRI or CT scan. Did that scan report some scary-sounding “findings”?
Well, research published in the American Journal of Neuroradiology found that “abnormal” findings are frequently normal and nothing to be concerned about.
“Imaging findings of spine degeneration are present in high proportions of asymptomatic individuals, increasing with age. Many imaging-based degenerative features are likely part of normal aging and unassociated with pain. These imaging findings must be interpreted in the context of the patient’s clinical condition,” Systematic Literature Review of Imaging Features of Spinal Degeneration in Asymptomatic Populations.
The research also shows that the pain you are experiencing and the changes happening under the surface are not always related!
In fact, think about “degeneration” as you think about wrinkles and grey hairs – annoying, maybe; but painful? No!
Check out the table from Brinjikji et al (2015) below to see just how common your findings are for someone your age!
Diagnosing Lower Back Pain
A thorough clinical history and physical examination is the best way to find out why you are experiencing back pain.
Whether it is muscle pain, nerve pain or joint pain, it’s all pain and it all needs to be dealt with appropriately and by a qualified health professional.
We have so much amazing research now (which we won’t bore you with) that gives us the tools to help you decrease and take control of your pain. Your perceptions and beliefs about your pain are far more important than ANY common structural change reported on a scan!
Treating Lower Back Pain
So, let’s put the scan away and focus on what really works to FIX YOUR LOW BACK PAIN… Manual therapy, mobility exercise and strengthening!
IMPORTANT NOTE: Every person will need to consult a qualified health professional for an accurate diagnosis before a tailored treatment plan can be developed.
- Manual Therapy – This is such an effective tool to reduce your lower back pain initially and to get you feeling like you can move again.
- Mobility – Has your arm or leg ever been in a cast? How incredibly hard was it to bend your elbow/knee when you had it taken off? It was so STIFF and PAINFUL right? It’s the same with your back. If you guard the movements, everything else around it will tighten up and then normal back movements will BECOME PAINFUL! That’s why it’s ESSENTIAL that we get your lower back moving, and moving well through all planes of movement as soon as possible, to prevent further issues that you may face in the future from not using it!
- Strength – No effective treatment for lower back pain is complete without a strengthening program – whether it is Reformer Pilates, a gym-based resistance program, or both! To provide you with the best back pain treatment and prevent recurrent episodes, we need to work together to strengthen the muscles that support your back. When your back muscles are weak, they fatigue easily and more likely to trigger an episode of painful muscle spasm.
Lower Back Pain Physiotherapy
Would like to speak to one of our physios in Brisbane about the findings from your medical imaging or have a professional develop a personalised treatment plan for your back pain?
Our team of physios at Moorooka, Ashgrove and Samford are here to help! Book an appointment today!
Have a great week!
From,
Your Physio Team
Inline Physio Moorooka
REFERENCE
Brinjikji, W., Luetmer, P. H., Comstock, B., Bresnahan, B. W., Chen, L. E., Deyo, R. A., Halabi, S., Turner, J. A., Avins, A. L., James, K., Wald, J. T., Kallmes, D. F., & Jarvik, J. G. (2015). Systematic literature review of imaging features of spinal degeneration in asymptomatic populations. AJNR. American journal of neuroradiology, 36(4), 811–816. https://doi.org/10.3174/ajnr.A4173