Why did my back pain start for no apparent reason?

Back pain often develops after an accumulation of factors rather than one specific event. Changes in activity, prolonged sitting, stress, poor sleep or reduced movement can gradually increase strain until a simple movement triggers pain.

Can osteopathy help lower back pain?

Osteopaths assess the joints, muscles, ligaments and nerves contributing to your symptoms. Treatment may include manual therapy, soft tissue techniques, joint mobilisation, exercise advice and self-management strategies to improve movement and reduce pain.

Why does my back pain spread into my buttock or leg?

Pain can refer from structures in the lower back into the buttock, groin or leg. Similar symptoms may also arise from hip problems or irritation of spinal nerves. A thorough assessment helps determine the source.

What can I do to help back pain myself?

Keeping gently active, avoiding prolonged sitting, using heat or ice where appropriate, gradually returning to normal activity and following advice on exercise and posture can all help recovery from most episodes of back pain.

Back Pain Treatment - Feel Better Osteopathy

Q: What causes lower back pain?

Lower back pain can arise from muscles, joints, ligaments or spinal discs. Common causes include muscle strain, facet joint irritation, osteoarthritis, disc bulges, ligament sprains and changes in activity levels or prolonged sitting.

Are you Suffering from Back Pain in Leamington Spa or Warwick?

Back pain and stiffness, in particular lower back pain is one of the most common reasons people seek osteopathic treatment at our Warwick clinic. This is unsurprising, given that up to 80% of people will suffer from back pain in their lifetime.

The fact you are reading this, probably means you have personal experience of back pain or know someone who does. Your back may ache after prolonged sitting or driving. It may be worse in the morning when you get out of bed. You may be experiencing muscle spasms in your back or get sharp shooting pains when bending or lifting.

If so, don’t despair, there is plenty you can do to alleviate your pain and reduce the risk of reoccurrence.

What Causes Lower Back Pain – Leamington Spa & Warwick?

There are many causes for lower back pain, but lifestyle is nearly always a significant factor. For example, if your job involves sitting at a computer all day or lots of driving, you are more likely to experience back or neck pain than other people. At the other end of the scale, a sudden increase or change in activity or exercise that your body hasn’t had time to adjust to, can also lead to back pain.

The likelihood of experiencing back pain also increases the older we get. This is due to normal age-related changes, such as gradual loss of disc elasticity and ‘wear and tear’ to spinal joints. However, the good news is that keeping active and strong, maintaining a reasonable weight and generally trying to keep a positive mindset can help counteract many of these ageing effects.

Back pain can be caused by injury or dysfunction of any of the structures in the lower back: discs, ligaments, muscles or joints. However, in reality there are often more than one of these factors involved. Below are the most common causes:

Facet joint restrictions or injury (facet joints are the joints at the back of your spine between the vertebrae)
Osteoarthritis and age-related spinal ‘wear and tear’ to joints and discs
Disc bulge or herniation
Pelvic torsion affecting sacroiliac joint function
Muscle strain or muscle imbalance
Ligament sprain

Why did my Lower Back Pain start for no Apparent Reason?

In our Warwick osteopathy clinic, we regularly see people whose back pain is triggered by something small and seemingly insignificant. This could be something inoccuous like bending down to do up your shoe laces or leaning forward to do the washing up. This may seem odd, but it is not usually solely the act itself which causes your back pain, rather the accumulation of events leading up to it. This could be a change in daily routine or work patterns, introducing a new type of exercise too quickly, lack of sleep, increased stress, bereavement, a period of inactivity or a multitude of other factors.

Of course, we also see people whose lower back pain comes on after lifting something awkwardly or doing a lot of heavy gardening work. But this is by no means the norm.

What Causes Pain in my Buttock?

While often localised to the lower back, pain can also refer to the buttock, groin, leg and foot. These symptoms could however also be caused by a problem with your hip or irritation of nerve roots in your lower back. At your first consultation your osteopath will do a thorough assessment to work out what is causing your pain.

Upper Back Pain

Upper back pain or pain between the shoulder blades can also radiate around the ribs and into the neck. This can feel sharp, burning or more of an ache and discomfort. Upper back pain is usually caused by injury or wear and tear affecting structures in the upper back including facet or rib joints, muscles, ligaments or discs. It can however also be referred from issues affecting the neck.

How Can Osteopathy Help Your Back Pain? (Leamington Spa & Warwick)

The NHS recommends manual therapy (which includes osteopathy) alongside exercise for low back pain treatment (NICE, 2020). An osteopath will conduct a thorough assessment to to work out what is causing your pain and how best to treat it.

Osteopaths will usually work on the symptomatic area of your back. However, they will also look beyond to other areas of restriction or dysfunction which may be contributing to the problem. We may use techniques such as soft tissue massage, joint articulation and spinal manipulation. The aim of osteopathic treatment is to reduce pain, improve ease of movement and increase resilience to further episodes of back pain. We will also offer advice on lifestyle, posture and exercises to do at home.

Most back pain can be treated effectively with osteopathy. However, in some instances, we might refer you to your GP for a scan, X-ray or other tests to rule out possible underlying conditions which may require medical intervention.

★★★★★ “Emma is a very professional & knowledgeable osteopath. I was looking for a local, experienced osteopath to treat my lower back from an injury that resulted in surgery 5 years prior. Emma was great at quickly finding why I could have been having problems and after a month or so, set me on my way with great advice on how to manage my exercise/day to day life routine. I have not had any repeat issues since. Emma is also a very friendly and lovely person. I would come straight back to Emma without skipping a heart beat if any future back problems arise” L.R. (Engineer)

★★★★★ “I contacted Emma when I developed lower back pain and needed help getting out of bed. I was 70 so wondered what the future would hold. Emma took a thorough history before starting to work on me. She showed me some exercises to do at home which I followed diligently. I was amazed that after only three visits I had got my mobility back” D.H. (Retired)

How can I self-manage my Back Pain?

An osteopath will give you advice on exercise, posture and lifestyle changes to help manage and prevent future back pain. However, if you are experiencing back pain right now, here are some general tips that should help:

Keep active and move as much as possible. Just a few minutes gentle walking or stretching each hour helps enhance blood flow and reduce inflammation. This in turn promotes healing.
Avoid heavy lifting or high-impact exercise whilst your back is healing.
Try using ice or heat.
Anti-inflammatory pain medication such as ibuprofen can help when used in moderation. Consult your GP or a pharmacist for advice.
When sleeping, use pillows for extra support. Depending on what is causing your pain, try a pillow under your knees, between your knees or under your tummy.
Try to stay positive. Most back pain is not permanent and will get better, if you look after yourself and follow this simple advice.

You may also be interested in some of my blog posts which are packed full of useful tips: