Back pain can affect anyone at any age, and can often be the result of a sprain or a strain of the structures of the back such as the muscles, ligaments, joints or damage to the discs. Osteoarthritis, or wear and tear in the back, can also be a reason.

Most therapists will try to eliminate the pain which involves treating the problem area. I take a different and more effective approach.

Yes, I will try and ease your pain but that is just the start. I will find out the root cause and make sure it doesn’t come back.

Typically this will be due to a curve or ‘twist’ in your spine and pelvis. So instead of rubbing the muscle that is tight due to these curves, I go one step further and balance the spine through gentle pain-free articulation of joints and muscle, hopefully curing your problem forever.

Common causes of back pain

• poor office station set up
• heavy lifting
• injury while playing sports
• changes during pregnancy
• constipation, irritable bowel, stomach complaints
• menstrual pain
• stiffness / wear and tear
• muscle weakness / poor posture
• previous injury to the back or pain in the neck, shoulder, hip or knee
• emotional issues
• ‘quick fix’ treatment in the past

I can advise you on all of the above.

Please cure my Sciatica!

Every day I have people coming to me complaining of sciatica and looking for help! They may also be complaining of lower back pain and other associated symptoms such as pain, weakness and discomfort in the leg and foot. The pain can be quite debilitating and can be constant, sharp, dull and intense.

Often, it is people 25-60 years old who present with sciatica, mainly from either wear and tear in the back, or from a more acute and sudden traumatic injury.

Sciatica is a term used to describe a distribution of pain which can run from the lower back, into the buttock, down the back of the thigh, and into the leg and foot.

Sciatica is actually an irritation of the sciatic nerve. Causes of sciatica range from a prolapsed or slipped disc/s in the lumbar spine, disc degeneration in the lumbar spine, degeneration and arthritis in the spinal joints, muscle spasm in the lower back and gluteal region or even something as simple as a sprained/locked facet joint in the lower back. It can also be present during the mid to later stages of pregnancy, from spondylolisthesis (slipped vertebra), piriformis syndrome, sacroiliac joint dysfunction or other more serious conditions such as a tumour or an infection that may trigger sciatica.

Osteopathic treatment is the number one treatment for people with sciatica. I get to the root cause which again is usually due to a curve or ‘twist’ in your spine and hopefully relieve it for good.

When this happens I then advise all my patients on exercise, diet and lifestyle changes to maintain their health and link you in with yoga, pilates, meditation and sports groups in your area.

Warning: Other therapies including medication may relieve the pain, but in my opinion this is just a quick fix solution because the cause (the curve in your spine) has not been fixed and it will come back to haunt you, I have two bulging discs to prove it! If I had gotten proper treatment like osteopathy when I was younger I would be fine now. So remember, just because you are pain-free it doesn’t mean the problem has gone away.