Back pain, treatment & osteopathyIf you suffer the constant misery of back pain you are not alone. It is estimated that more than 60 per cent of us will suffer back problems at some point in our lives – and for many of us the pain will never fully go away, or will return repeatedly.

But although back pain is so common few people truly understand their back pain or the treatments available. Hardly surprising, really, as it sometimes seems there are almost as many different treatments and therapies on offer for back problems as there are people suffering back pain. And most people who have done the rounds of these therapies will tell you few of them work. In the confusion of treatments, all too many people give up and resign themselves to a lifetime of pain. This is a great shame as there are treatments that really can help, it is just a case of knowing where to look.

The most respected and tested treatment for back problems, and the one most recommended by doctors is osteopathy. In fact osteopathy is recommended in the UK by NICE – The National Institute of Clinical Excellence.

The Costa Blanca’s very own British GP, Dr Najma Hussain of Medcare, would certainly endorse this recommendation. Dr Hussain said, “Over the years I have seen hundreds of patients with back pain and I have found that the best treatment I can offer is definitely a referral to a good osteopath. Other therapies may offer temporary relief but osteopathy is more likely to give long-term results.”

Osteopathy uses a variety of manipulative, massage, exercise and stretching techniques. It differs from most other treatments in one very important way – it does not just treat the pain but addresses the underlying cause of the pain – and its location.

When it comes to treating back pain location is everything, as the area where the pain is concentrated may not actually be the area where the problem is located. For example, lower back pain could be caused by a curvature in the upper spine or a hip out of alignment, or even an old knee injury. Back problems can also show up as pain in other parts of the body – such as headaches or leg pain. There is no point manipulating, massaging, sticking in needles or doing anything else only to the area where the pain is felt if you are going to ignore the true cause and location of the problem.

Many patients visiting osteopaths are surprised to learn the true cause and location of their problem and many will have undergone years of unsuccessful treatment to the spot where the pain – but not the problem – was concentrated before visiting an osteopath. Importantly, a good osteopath will not only be able to make a correct diagnosis and offer appropriate treatment, but will also know when to refer a patient to a doctor for further investigation.

And osteopaths don’t just treat back pain. Osteopaths can also successfully treat many other types of chronic pain. People who have suffered for years from conditions such as whiplash, shoulder pain, tendonitis and even headaches and migraine can find relief at the hands of a good osteopath.

Medcare has its own highly qualified and experienced osteopath working alongside its GP at Mecare’s clinic in Benijofar. Medcare’s osteopath also offers body alignment checks to help improve posture, treat problems created by misalignment and prevent future problems. Because body alignment checks can be so important in diagnosing the sources of pain and be the first step to relieving years of suffering, Medcare’s osteopath offers free body alignment checks.