What is Back pain
Trouble with your back does not simply give pain in the back. It can and often is the cause of more remote symptoms like pain in the buttocks, groin or legs (sciatica). This is often brought about by pressure on specific nerve roots in the spine. Problems in the back, because they can disturb spinal mechanics, can also bring on pain in the face, shoulders and arms. Back problems account for over 50% of the cases osteopaths see.
Osteopathic treatment is often the most effective first line of attack in trying to correct these very debilitating problems. Most people think of back pain as being the result of injury. This is far from the case.
There are very many disease states and pathological conditions which can give symptoms of backache. These include :
- Nervological Pathologies
- Arthritis
- Tumours
- Spinal Spondylosis
- Rheumatic Conditions
- Kidney Disease
- Dermatological Problems
- Cervical Spondylitis
- Visceral Pathologies
- Vascular Pathologies
Osteopaths are skilled in diagnosing problems that may require further investigation.
While these specific conditions are not curable by osteopathic treatments, by correcting any underlying mechanical disturbances in the musculoskeletal system, osteopaths may greatly relieve the pain and distress involved in some of these problems.
Most back troubles however, result from mechanical disturbances of the spine and osteopaths have been successfully treating these problems for over 100 years.