What works for back pain
The two most effective things you can do to alleviate back pain is to
stay active – and so exercising the muscles that support the spine –
and to have some form of spinal manipulation, either with a registered
osteopath or chiropractor.
It’s recognised by conventional medicine that doctors have little to
offer the back pain sufferer, other than to administer painkillers, and
so ‘best practice’ guidelines suggest working with a registered
osteopath or physiotherapist.
Unfortunately, guidelines for the referral of patients to physical
therapy or spinal manipulation do not differentiate between
chiropractic, osteopathy and physical therapy. This lack of a precise,
common language may be at the root of continuing disagreements over
which type of physical therapy is best for which type of backache.
Medical research has not helped to clarify the issue; indeed,
researchers may deliberately misuse terms such as "chiropractic" in
their research.
While bed rest is the traditional recommendation for back sufferers,
the latest research shows that movement is the key to preventing trauma
from turning into chronic pain. Try to keep moving, within the limits
of your level of pain. Investigate gentle exercises such a t'ai chi (a
form of qigong). In one randomised controlled study, six weeks of t'ai
chi significantly reduce the intensity of pain suffered by a group with
chronic low back pain, compared with those given routine care. Pain was
especially improved during the last week. T'ai chi has only 20
movements which can be taught over a period of eight weeks. Yoga and
Alexander Technique may also be beneficial.
Possibly effective treatments:
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Acupuncture
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Biofeedback
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Group education
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Hypnosis
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Least effective treatments:
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Bed rest
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Routine analgesics
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Antidepressants
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Opioid analgesics
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Traction
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Transcutaneous electrical nerve
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stimulation (TENS):
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Corsets
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Trigger point and ligament injections
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Epidural injections
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