Article: Back Pain Treatment - Make the Right Choice!

Article by Dr Peter Richard Pedersen

If you suffer from back pain or sciatica you could reasonably expect to have treatment that focuses on your back. Many practitioners offer treatment and sell their treatment as "the best". But "the best" treatment can only be determined by thorough physical examination and detailed history.

Pain may be referred from internal organs or from poor biomechanical foot function. Muscles in your front can cause pain in your back. Calves and thigh muscles are often to blame. Even food, medications and poor posture can be to blame!

Back pain may be caused by something that is not actually in your back

Over the past 40 years we have seen tens of thousands of Gold Coast residents who suffer back pain and we have documented over 400,000 patient visits. Our treatments are based on the best techniques from Chiropractic and Osteopathy with a seamless integration of muscle-work and Trigger Point Dry Needling. We do not have "a treatment for back pain", we provide specific and individual treatment for each and every patient. Because every back problem is different!

One very important thing that we know is that every back problem is different.

Origins of Back Pain and Sciatica

The purpose of this article is to help back pain sufferers make an informed choice, to get a lasting solution and not waste precious time or money.

The onset of back pain without a known cause, such as a recent injury or over-doing it at work or play, gives rise to many options.

These are three of the most common, in order...

1. Do nothing and hope it goes away.

2. Take some form of medication and hope it goes away.

3. Visit a health-care professional and hope they can make it go away.

Just guessing, you probably already did (1) and it didn't work.

So you tried (2) and also...no joy.

Let's go to (3) and see what can happen.

(Perhaps you have had treatment that didn't help, or you are trying to decide between a Chiropractor, Osteopath or Physiotherapist).

The choice of health-care professional is endless. Our practice is in Nerang, last count 66 locations offering "treatment for back pain". On the Gold Coast, close to 800!

Who offers treatment for back pain on The Gold Coast?

Naturopath, massage therapist, myotherapy, remedial therapy, acupuncturist, medical practitioner (G.P. or Specialist, orthopaedic surgeon, neurosurgeon) physiotherapist, exercise physiologist, osteopath, chiropractor, Bowen Therapy, occupational therapy, Pilates, Feldenkrais, yoga, qi-gong, tai-chi, postural therapy, psychotherapy...?

How on earth are you meant to chose?

Best suggestion... ask your friends, use their experiences, good or bad, personal recommendation is by far the best method of selection. Just like chosing a tradesman...you would never pick one out of the newspaper classifieds, would you?

Our practice, Your Health Matters, does not advertise, after 32 years on the Gold Coast, we rely on word of mouth, personal recommendation, satisfied patients. (Thank you very much!)

What if you choose a practitioner who provides spinal treatment that doesn't fit your problem?

Most likely, you end up with a back problem and a bill. Still got the back pain! Only bright side to this scenario is that you get to know what doesn't work. Might work on some other body's back pain or even on you for another cause of back pain. It wasn't a bad treatment, it was just the wrong treatment. It could even be the best treatment, for some other body. So, here you sit, uncomfortably, with back pain or sciatica...

The key to determining the best treatment is to ask the right questions. If your chosen health care person doesn't thoroughly examine you, testing your range of movement, asking questions, checking x-rays, but immediately procedes to outline a "treatment plan"...be very careful!

And, seriously...if you are asked to join up for a long "treatment plan" involving dozens of treatments over many months, with a nice discount for prepayment and probably a set of steak-knives if you refer a friend. DON'T!

If you already did...and you are looking for a way out, go to the appropriate Health Registration Board and lodge a complaint.

Over-servicing scams are rife on the Gold Coast. Be warned!

Anyway... thinking of a few of the more common causes of backache or sciatica, (without going into the nasty diseases that cause referred pain throughout the back), are you sleeping in a different bed, or sleeping on a daggy old mattress that you have had for 20 years. Have you taken-up a new hobby or stopped doing an old one...or a new significant other?

Are you driving a new car or driving the same old car with a saggy seat or sitting in a different chair or changed the viewing position of the TV? Do you ride a pushbike?

Have you started a new exercise program or bought new joggers or new orthotics, or are your old orthotics old and tired?

Are you trying to lose weight, or gain weight, dieting or eating more, or just stopped eating meat or just started again after a few vegetarian years?

Have you had a colonic irrigation recently? Have you gone onto a detox program?

Are you trying to quit smoking? Using patches or pills?

Has your work load changed, had a huge increase in responsibilities?

Are you taking a new medication or just finished a course of antibiotics...or a change of prescription or even new vitamins or herbs or supplements?

This gives you the idea that there are so many possible causes of back pain or sciatica, at Your Health Matters Nerang, we will always determine "cause" before offering a "cure". Your best treatment will be personalised to your specific needs after a detailed examination and you will receive a thorough explanation of what has happened to you to cause your back pain, what will be done to treat you, and a plan of action to prevent further occurences of back pain.

Two things for sure...

Your back pain or sciatica won't be from a "bone out of place" that needs to be reset every few days, nor from a deficiency of anti-inflammatory drugs, pills or potions!