Osteopathy for Back Pain

The Impact of Back Pain

In some cases, lower back pain can have a major impact on people’s lives, such as making them incapable of performing simple tasks like tying their shoes, preventing them from doing their job properly, not allowing them to participate in sport, stopping them from playing with their kids, etc. So apart from the pain involved, back problems often lead to poorer quality of life and sometimes psychological distress or disability.

So there are occasions when lower back pain can make a person’s life very miserable.

How Common is Back Pain?

Back pain is one of the most common health problems in Australia, as 1 in 6 people reporting having back problems at any point in time. However, about 4 out of 5 people experience low back pain at some time in their lives.

Structure of Your Back

Your spine or backbone is quite a complex structure. It is made up of 24 small bones called vertebrae which are stacked on top of each other. Between each vertebra are discs, which act as shock absorbers to cushion the spine from impact or pressure. The discs also allow your spine to move and allows it to bend and twist.

Your vertebrae are also directly joined together by small joints called facet joints. These joints allow you to move and bend your back. On top of this, you have a network of ligaments and muscles hold the spine together and gives it structural support, while still allowing movement of the spine and back generally. These muscles also allow you to bend, twist and straighten different areas of your back.

What Causes Back Pain?

Back pain can come from any of these tissues, but the good news is that, even if it is very severe, in most cases it isn’t due to any significant damage to your spine. Back pain usually comes from the muscles, ligaments or joints, and occasionally from spinal disc problems.

However, if you have back pain and have lost feeling or movement in your limbs or are having problems controlling your bowels or bladder, call triple 000 immediately and ask for an ambulance.

Osteopathy is used to identify and treat damage and dysfunction in the entire framework of the body, including the muscles, bones, spine, ligaments, and connective tissues (fascia). It is a hands-on therapy which involves a variety of techniques, including massage, stretching, mobilisation of the joints, and gentle spinal adjustments.

What is the Difference Between a Chiropractor, Physiotherapist, and Osteopath?

In very simple terms

• Chiropractors mostly work on the spine and the joints
• Physiotherapists normally work on the muscles
• Osteopaths usually work on the muscles, spine and joints

Osteopaths use multiple techniques to treat the body, including many similar to massage therapy, physiotherapy techniques, and osteopathic joint manipulation similar to chiropractic adjustments.

By working on the muscles and soft tissues, osteopaths can help keep the spine and joints freer and more mobile. By working on the alignment of the spine and the body generally, they can take the pressure off the nerves, improve blood flow, and help the body to heal itself.

Other Differences

• Osteopaths also work on the tendons, ligaments and connective tissues (fascia)
• They take a holistic view of the body, by looking at what is causing the problem for that person, as well as seeing how the problem is impacting on the rest of their body
• Osteopaths assess the musculoskeletal system, looking for areas of weakness, imbalance or excessive strain. Any of these problem areas can affect how well the person’s body is functioning, and impact on their health.
• As a result, osteopathic treatments are sometimes used to treat respiratory, cardiovascular, digestive, and various other internal health conditions
• Osteopaths can also use Craniosacral Therapy to help balance a person’s nervous system

How Recognised is Osteopathy?

• Osteopaths are registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), the same as medical doctors, pharmacists, dentists, physiotherapists, etc.
• Their treatments can be partly covered by Medicare under a Chronic Disease Management (CDM)/ Enhanced Primary Care (EPC) plan by a GP.
• Most health funds include Osteopathy as standard in their Extras cover.
• It takes 5 years of full-time study to become an osteopathic doctor

What do Osteopaths Treat?

They can treat a very broad range of conditions, however are particularly known for treating muscle, spine, joint or tendon issues. These include

• Back pain Brisbane (including disc pain)
• Neck pain (including whiplash)
• Knee, hip and ankle pain
• Sprains & strains
• Headaches & migraines
• Tennis/golfers elbow
• Shoulder elbow and wrist pain
• Arthritis
• Repetitive strain injuries
• Vertigo
• Sciatica
• Sports injuries
• Tendonitis
• Jaw pain
• Pregnancy related conditions
• Workplace related conditions

However, as mentioned previously, they can often treat a variety of internal disorders as well.

About Dr Becky Hull, our Osteopath

Becky obtained her Masters in Osteopathy 12 years ago in England. After moving to Australia, she spent 8 years as the Senior Osteopath and Clinical Mentor at a major osteopathic clinic in Melbourne. In her role as Clinical Mentor, she conducted weekly training sessions for 6 less experienced osteopaths, and supervised students doing their Osteopathic internships.

“I regard myself to be an empathetic and considerate person who strives to get the best outcomes for patients. … I am confident in managing complex cases and enjoy treating people of all ages. I love the variety that Osteopathy brings to my work week.”

Read more about Becky.

To find out more about our Osteopathy services, or to take advantage of our Free Comprehensive Assessment offer, please call us on 07 3376 6911. Or you can click on ‘Book Now’ at the top of the page to make an appointment.