Back Pain

Your back is so sore.

Perhaps your doctor sent you for an X-ray or MRI. But it’s all so confusing - and constantly painful. You feel cranky and crippled. It’s affecting your work and home life.

Maybe you’ve already got a diagnosis but you are still looking for a solution. You know life can be better. What have they told you you’ve got?

Arthritis
Sprain
Muscle strain

Disc injury
Fibromyalgia
Curved spine (scoliosis)

Spinal stenosis
Facet joint
Nerve pain

“Why is this happening to me?” or “How can I get better so I can get back to enjoying my life?”

We understand you may feel frustrated, annoyed, or hopeless by now.

How can you get rid of back pain - naturally without drugs or surgery?

Are there stretches, a better sleeping position, or core exercises that can help?

Is heat or ice better when it gets really bad?

Will you have to suffer for life?

You aren’t alone:

1 in 6 Aussies share your pain _{(‘National
Health Survey: First Results, 2017-18)}.

Ways we can help you with your back pain

Just because you’ve “done a disc” doesn’t necessarily mean you need surgery, or even that it’s causing your pain.

Healthy people without back pain can have scary looking scans. In fact, 37% of symptom-free 20-year-olds have signs of disc degeneration _{(Brinjikji et al. 2015)}. As you can imagine, that number only increases with age _{(Brinjikji et al. 2015)}. And remember that’s people without any pain.

We help people lead a healthy, happy lifestyle through a range of ways, depending on preference and their needs:

Chiropractic
Acupuncture
Naturopathy

Psychology
Counselling
Clinical Hypnotherapy

You don’t need to worry about which service suits - we’ll point you in the right direction. However, you may like to understand how a few of these services may help:

Chiropractic for back pain

You feel out of whack. Something just doesn’t feel right. There’s a pinch here and something pops when you move. You may feel tight and sore. Tingling & numbness too.

Understandably, you want to know the cause of your pain:

Is it the joint, muscles, ligaments or nerves?
What do your scans show - and what does it all mean in plain English?

How long can you expect recovery to take?
What can you do to help yourself?

You’re likely to feel better having these questions compassionately and professionally answered _{(Howick et al. 2018)}.

Our chiropractors will find the cause of your pain - but more than that, why the pain isn’t going away. They’ll take a holistic view of what may be causing you pain: smoking status _{(Fogelholm 2001) (Shiri & Falah-Hassani 2016)}, repetitive movements at work, and sleeping posture _{(Kovacs et al. 2003)} are examples of what they may look at.

Expect your joints to be freed & aligned with adjustments, mobilisations or cranial therapies. Massage may be used to help your muscles relax. You may even gain strength & flexibility through rehab exercises and electro-therapy _{(Gordon et al. 2016) (Andrade et al. 2018) (Doucet et al. 2012)}. Laser therapy may decrease your back & neck pain _{(Glazov et al. 2015) (Chow et al. 2009)}.

Chiropractic at Body and Brain Centre

Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine for back pain

Imagine a flowing stream. Always in a state of movement and balance until a stormy night when a tree comes crashing down. The tree blocks the stream’s flow. The water gushes out along the banks.

Acupuncture is the crane lifting the tree from the water. Restoring the natural state of the stream - a steady flow. Just as water spills out of the stream, aches can spill out from blocks in the flow of our Qi energy.

Qi can be balanced with acupuncture, herbs, cupping, moxa and specific Chinese massage points. By stimulating the muscles and nerves, your back pain may ease.

Chronic back pain or your old knees causing a limp - acupuncture can be helpful _{(Manheimer 2005) (Zhang et al. 2015).}

Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine at Body and Brain Centre

Naturopathy for back pain

Inflammation and nutrient deficiencies can make chronic pain worse _{(Guida et al. 2020) (Zeilhofer 2008) (Ji et al.
2019)}.

You may be looking for a natural alternative to drugs. Maybe you need to continue taking painkillers but want to address your underlying health rather than accept a bandaid solution.

Our skilled naturopaths will assess your diet and lifestyle looking for little tweaks which can have big outcomes. You may be given a tailored herbal blend to calm the pain and reduce inflammation _{(Goldberg
& Katz 2007)}.

Naturopathy at Body and Brain Centre

Psychology & Counselling for back pain

You feel helpless - this has gone on for so long. You never thought you’d miss emptying the dishwasher but now that you struggle to bend down, you do miss it. Well almost.

You’re frustrated. You can’t do what you used to. Life is now directed by your pain - one day is good and then the next? You can barely move or leave the house.

You worry about little things now. The jerks of the train chugging away could set off your pain. Maybe you feel angry too - why did this have to happen to you?

Chronic pain is more than just the physical _{(Kamper
et al. 2015) (Marin et al. 2017)}. It can be all consuming.

Counselling can help you learn to recognise, understand and manage your thoughts, emotions and behaviours. This can help you reduce your pain intensity _{(Suso-Ribera et al. 2019) (Howell 1984)} since the mind and body are connected. You’ll learn ways to cope better with the ups and downs of constantly feeling unwell and injured.

Counselling at Body and Brain Centre

Clinical Hypnotherapy for Back Pain

Chronic pain takes over your life. At times, it feels all-consuming and overwhelming. Other times, it's a mere annoyance.

Hypnotherapy can help re-write your mindset to calm your pain.

Hypnotherapy at Body & Brain Centre

Learn more

Let us help you

Not sure which service to start with?

No worries. Book your free phone consultation and we’ll point you in the right direction. Medical rebates may be available. From here we can start an open, and honest conversation about your back pain - just to make sure we’re the right fit for you.

Book your free phone consultation now.

Research references

Andrade A, de Azevedo Klumb Steffens R, Sieczkowska SM et al. (2018). A systematic review of the effects of strength training in patients with fibromyalgia: clinical outcomes and design considerations. Adv Rheumatol 58, 36 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1186/s42358-018-0033-9
Brinjikji W, et al. (2015). Systematic literature review of imaging features of spinal degeneration in asymptomatic populations. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2015 Apr;36(4):811-6. doi: 10.3174/ajnr.A4173. Epub 2014 Nov 27.
Cheng JOS & Cheng ST (2019). Effectiveness of physical and cognitive-behavioural intervention programmes for chronic musculoskeletal pain in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. PLoS One. 2019;14(10):e0223367. Published 2019 Oct 10. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0223367. The value of adding cognitive behavioural therapy to an exercise program for chronic pain is questionable with inconsistent results seen.
Chow RT, Johnson MI, Lopes-Martins RA, Bjordal JM (2009). Efficacy of low-level laser therapy in the management of neck pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised placebo or active-treatment controlled trials. The Lancet. 2009 Dec 5;374(9705):1897-908.
Fogelholm RR, et al. (2001). Smoking and intervertebral disc degeneration. Med Hypotheses. 2001 Apr;56(4):537-9.
Doucet BM, Lam A & Griffin L (2012). Neuromuscular electrical stimulation for skeletal muscle function. Yale J Biol Med. 2012;85(2):201‐215. Review of electrical stimulation on muscle function stating the effects of the various settings. Also states that electrical stimulation is limited in its application as it recruits muscles in a different fashion compared to how the nerves do naturally.
Franke H, Franke JD, Fryer G. Osteopathic manipulative treatment for nonspecific low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC musculoskeletal disorders. 2014 Dec;15(1):1-8.
Glazov G, Yelland M, Emery J. Low-level laser therapy for chronic non-specific low back pain: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Acupunct Med. 2016;34(5):328-341. doi:10.1136/acupmed-2015-011036
Goldberg RJ & Katz J (2007). A meta-analysis of the analgesic effects of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation for inflammatory joint pain. Pain. Volume 129, Issues 1–2, May 2007, Pages 210-223. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pain.2007.01.020. Omega 3 fatty acids are an attractive adjunctive therapy for pain of rheumatoid arthritis, dysmenorrhoea (painful periods) and inflammatory bowel disease.
Gordon R, Bloxham S. A Systematic Review of the Effects of Exercise and Physical Activity on Non-Specific Chronic Low Back Pain. Healthcare (Basel). 2016;4(2):22. Published 2016 Apr 25. doi:10.3390/healthcare4020022
Guida F, Boccella S, Belardo C, Iannotta M, Piscitelli F,De Filippis F, Paino S, Ricciardi F, Siniscalco D, Marabese I, Luongo L, Ercolini D, Di Marzo V, Maione S (2020). Altered gut microbiota and endocannabinoid system tone in vitamin D deficiency-mediated chronic pain. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity. Volume 85, March 2020, Pages 128-141. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2019.04.006
Howell DW (1984). Musculoskeletal profile and incidence of musculoskeletal injuries in lightweight women rowers. Am J Sports Med. 1984;12:278–82. Psychological interventions had positive effects on pain intensity, pain-related interference, health-related quality of life and depression. There were minimal biases reported in the reviewed studies.
Howick J, Moscrop A, Mebius A, et al. (2018). Effects of empathic and positive communication in healthcare consultations: a systematic review and meta-analysis [published correction appears in J R Soc Med. 2018 Oct;111(10):383]. J R Soc Med. 2018;111(7):240‐252. doi:10.1177/0141076818769477
Ji RR, Nackley A, Huh Y, Terrando N, Maixner W (2019). Neuroinflammation and Central Sensitization in Chronic and Widespread Pain. Anesthesiology. 2018;129(2):343‐366. doi:10.1097/ALN.0000000000002130
Kamper SJ, Apeldoorn AT, Chiarotto A, Smeets RJEM, Ostelo RWJG, Guzman J et al. (2015). Multidisciplinary biopsychosocial rehabilitation for chronic low back pain: Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis BMJ 2015; 350 :h444
Kovacs FM, Abraira V, Peña A, Martín-Rodríguez JG, Sánchez-Vera M, Ferrer E, et al. (2003). Effect of firmness of mattress on chronic non-specific low-back pain: randomised, double-blind, controlled, multicentre trial. The Lancet. Vol 362. Issue 9396. P1599-1604. Nov 25, 2003. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(03)14792-7

Leung L (2012a). Neurophysiological Basis of Acupuncture-induced Analgesia—An Updated Review. Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies. Volume 5, Issue 6, December 2012, Pages 261-270. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jams.2012.07.017
Leung L (2012b). Pain catastrophizing: an updated review. Indian J Psychol Med. 2012;34(3):204‐217. doi:10.4103/0253-7176.106012
Manheimer E, White A, Berman B, Forys K, Ernst E. Meta-analysis: acupuncture for low back pain. Ann Intern Med. 2005 Apr 19;142(8):651-63. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-142-8-200504190-00014. Erratum in: Ann Intern Med. 2005 Jun 7;142(11):950-1. PMID: 15838072.
Marin TJ, Van Eerd D, Irvin E, et al. (2017). Multidisciplinary biopsychosocial rehabilitation for subacute low back pain. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017;6(6):CD002193. Published 2017 Jun 28. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD002193.pub2
‘National Health Survey: First Results, 2017-18’ (2018). Australian Bureau of Statistics. Accessed on 01/08/2019 via https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/4364.0.55.001
Suso-Ribera C, Camacho-Guerrero L, Osma J, Suso-Vergara S & Gallardo-Pujol D (2019). A Reduction in Pain Intensity Is More Strongly Associated With Improved Physical Functioning in Frustration Tolerant Individuals: A Longitudinal Moderation Study in Chronic Pain Patients. Front Psychol. 2019;10:907. Published 2019 Apr 26. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00907
Zhang Q, Yue J, Golianu B, Sun Z, Lu Y. Updated systematic review and meta-analysis of acupuncture for chronic knee pain. Acupunct Med. 2017 Dec;35(6):392-403. doi: 10.1136/acupmed-2016-011306. Epub 2017 Nov 8. PMID: 29117967.
Zeilhofer UH (2008). Loss of glycinergic and GABAergic inhibition in chronic pain—contributions of inflammation and microglia. International Immunopharmacology. Volume 8, Issue 2, February 2008, Pages 182-187. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intimp.2007.07.009

Back Pain

Back Pain

“Why is this happening to me?” or “How can I get better so I can get back to enjoying my life?”