When to seek expert help for neck and back pain
Posted on 13th May 2019 at 14:12
Neck and back pain are more common than you might think. In fact, it is thought eight out of ten people will suffer with back or neck pain that is not caused by an underlying medical condition at some point in their lives.
We can unwittingly cause problems doing everyday things. Bad posture, lifting incorrectly or making sudden or jerky movements can leave us in agony.
Unlike other sprains or strains, back and neck pain can be severe and unrelenting and can take a long time to subside. It can also be difficult to diagnose a specific cause, and doctors often label this as ‘non-specific’ back pain. Because they can’t identify the core problem, this often means they can’t offer a treatment that will prevent it from recurring.
This is where intervention from a specialist who takes a more holistic approach to diagnosis and treatment can help.
For most, the discomfort of non-specific back pain will diminish over a few weeks by resting, taking anti-inflammatories such as Ibuprofen, and doing gentle stretching exercises that help ease tension and prevent muscle spasms.
If the pain is more of an ongoing and persistent problem, or you find it keeps returning, you might want to seek help from a back pain specialist who delves deeper than treating your outward symptoms and looks to rectify the root cause.
When to seek neck pain treatment or chronic back pain relief from an expert
Back and neck pain can have many triggers, and sometimes it can be a combination of factors that lead to long-term suffering. Regular treatment as advised by a GP or chiropractor doesn’t always address all the underlying reasons for your problem. Which is where a more holistic approach can help.
If any of the following apply to you, we recommend you speak to experts at a holistic health and/or sports rehabilitation centre who can work with you to get rid of neck pain once and for all, and offer long-term solutions for chronic back pain relief.
You’ve suffered with the same thing for more than four months
You’ve tried multiple approaches that haven’t worked
Your current treatment feels repetitive and isn’t gaining you the results you want
Your current treatment offers short-term relief, but the back or neck pain keeps returning
You have lingering pain or discomfort following whiplash, a head impact or concussion
You’ve been told you have a twisted pelvis or a leg-length discrepancy
It started after a serious accident, such as a car accident or head impact
If there has been no improvement in the severity of the neck or back pain for a length of time, or if you have already taken advice or sought treatment from a GP or chiropractor to no avail, seeking specialist intervention from more holistic back pain experts is the next logical step.
Holistic treatments don’t focus purely on the physical symptoms, they address the origins of the pain that are often clouded by the symptoms. The physical elements to severe back pain, such as slipped discs, muscle spasms and torn ligaments can be treated medically. But understanding how these occurred is as important in their long-term cure and prevention, as back pain is rarely about just those things.
Both back and neck pain can be caused through incorrect posture and movement, problems with the digestive system and even our thoughts and emotions.
A holistic approach considers a person’s lifestyle, both at work and at home, their nutrition and exercise regime and their mental and emotional state. Using a combination of corrective exercise, nutritional and lifestyle coaching, this approach has helped people who thought their lives would be forever marred by chronic back or neck pain.
Back and neck pain that requires urgent medical assessment
Of course, there are instances where you should seek urgent medical advice. If any of the following symptoms apply, we suggest you speak to a medical professional immediately.
Back pain that shoots down into your legs
Neck pain that shoots down into your arms
Loss of bladder or bowel control or difficulty urinating
Accompanying chest pain
A high temperature of 38C (100.4F) or above
Unexplained rapid weight loss
A swelling or deformity in your back
These problems could be a sign of something more serious and need to be checked urgently.
For back pain specialists in Birmingham speak to JT Ethos, the Midlands leading total body rehabilitation experts.
Tel: 0121 580 9598
Email: jim@jtethos.com
www.jtethos.com
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