8 out of 10 people will suffer from a bout of low back pain at some point in their lives.

The pain can be specific or spread across the lower back and into the buttocks. In some cases nerve irritation will cause leg pain called sciatica. Lower back pain can be acute or persistent and is felt as stiffness, weakness, an ache or sharp pain on movement.

Most back pain is mechanical which means it comes from the ligaments, muscles, discs and small joints of the spine. The incidence of back pain is usually related to our life style choices, age, posture and occupation. It is therefore no coincidence that mechanical symptoms often occur at times of increased stress, anxiety and activity. Physical problems such as leg length difference and poor foot mechanics can also have an effect on spinal mobility and function. Our osteopaths will identify these problems and help address them to ease your back pain. Postural changes found in pregnancy can also lead to back pain. Gentle osteopathic techniques have been shown to ease these symptoms.

Back pain can also on rare occasions be related to underlying health conditions or damage to the spine. All the osteopaths at Cannock Osteopaths are skilled and trained to a high standard in diagnosing problems that may require further investigation or medical treatment.

Osteopaths have been successfully treating low back pain for over 100 years. The National Institute of Clinical Excellence (N.I.C.E), the organisation responsible for suggesting guidelines for medical best practice recommend osteopathy for the treatment of low back pain.

Osteopathic treatment is considered as being one of the most effective first lines of treatment in reducing back pain and improving mobility and function of the spine. At Cannock Osteopaths we also give structured exercise and rehabilitation programs to help compliment treatment. The key to successfully treating low back pain is to diagnose the tissue causing pain, establish the sequence of events that led to the pain and recognise any predisposing or maintaining factors. A treatment plan can then be formulated.

During your consultation at Cannock Osteopaths a detailed case history is taken to establish symptoms, onset, medical history and general health, before a physical examination is performed. The osteopath will consider all this information to reach a diagnosis and decide on the most appropriate treatment. We pride ourselves on treating all patients as individuals. It takes time to assess and treat patients effectively. This is why we allow 1 hour for new patient appointments and ½ hour for follow up appointments.

We aim to alleviate your back pain by improving the mechanical function of the spine using gentle manual techniques to improve joint mobility and decrease muscle tightness, along with individually tailored advice on exercise and posture.

Peter and his associate osteopaths have been treating low back pain successfully in Cannock since 1992. Whether you have acute or persistent low back pain call Cannock Osteopaths to book an appointment. Today is a good time to regain control of your back, and stop letting it ruin your quality of life.