At Central Oxford Osteopathy, back pain is the number one condition we treat. That’s not surprising given that, in Britain, as many as eight out of ten of us will suffer from it at some point during our lives (1). Since ~5.6 million working days in the UK are lost each year due to back pain, we know how important it is to get you back to full fitness (2, 3).
We treat a wide range of patients in Oxford, because back pain can affect anyone at any age. It can often be the result of a sprain or a strain of the structures of the back such as the muscles, ligaments, joints or damage to the discs. Osteoarthritis or wear and tear in the back can also be to blame.
We also see patients where back pain has been brought on by lifting, moving awkwardly or by an accident. Sometimes it can come on without any specific injury to your back. Stress, depression, posture, being overweight, sedentary living and poor lifestyle habits can all be significant factors.
Sometimes x-rays, scans and other tests are required to make a full diagnosis. If we feel our osteopathy treatment cannot completely heal or discover the cause of your back pain, we will refer to your GP or a specialist for any additional investigation.
Back pain can be painful and inconvenient, but it’s not usually serious and will often resolve on its own within a few weeks. There is good quality evidence on the beneficial effects of manipulation for back pain and the National Institutes for Clinical Excellence recommends osteopathy for sub-acute and chronic low back pain. Our osteopaths are also skilled at helping prevent back pain from becoming a chronic, long-term condition.
In your first appointment at Central Oxford Osteopathy, one of our osteopaths will identify the source of your back pain and tailor a treatment plan to meet your individual needs. We can use a wide range of gentle manual treatments depending on your age, fitness and diagnosis. We may gently massage the soft tissues of your back or rhythmically “rock” the joints to release tension. Sometimes we may gently manipulate the back to loosen the joints and you may hear a “click”. We may also relieve your back pain by treating other areas in the body such as the hips or neck.
We have helped patients with a wide range of conditions including acute back pain, chronic back pain, disc problems, mechanical back pain, sciatica, ankylosing spondylitis and osteoarthritis
Your long term recovery is important to us. Once we have treated your immediate pain at the clinic, we will help you maintain your recovery by recommending gentle exercise and stretches you can do at home. We may offer advice on your lifestyle particularly if we feel there is a repetitive activity that may be triggering your back pain. We may also offer advice on your posture and provide advice on diet and exercise.
If you think we can help you with your pain, then book to see an Oxford back pain osteopath at our clinic today.
Acknowledgement: with thanks to Institute of Osteopathy for data and sources.
Jamie treated my neck, gave me exercises to repeat and probably more importantly, convinced me I had a healthy spine. Within
two weeks I was a new woman, and have been pain free for weeks and weeks."
- Bobbie, 56
"After twisting my back when picking up my daughter, I was struggling to walk. I had two sessions with Jamie and have continued
with the exercises which he suggested. A month later, my back feels great and the pain has completely gone."
- Chris, 33
"For the first time in years I am no longer taking pain killers and able to sleep through the night"
- Anna, violinist with Roxy Music, 26
Congratulations to the newest member of our team, Ladina Berther, for being the well deserved winner of the 'Rising Star' award at this years annual Institute of Osteopathy awards ceremony! The award Read More...
Jamie Dearing | 27 November, 2024