Myself and my colleagues at the Lloyd’s Wellbeing Centre regularly hear these common myths about back pain – which ones do you hear?
Myth 1: “Back pain goes away.”
Patients are often told by GPs that episodes of back pain usually go away within 4-8 weeks. The reality is that if you have suffered from back pain the past you are more likely to struggle with back pain in the future, unless you have had treatment and performed some targeted strengthening to help build back your core strength and stability.
Myth 2: “Rest is best.”
Patients with low back pain are being told to rest to heal their injury. Modern scientific understanding now shows that movement is the way to get much-needed nutrients to the spine. Lack of movement impairs the spine’s ability to heal, so my favourite phrase to my Patients is “Motion is Lotion”.
Myth 3: “Pills will make it better.”
No injury ever happens by itself and therefore there is no magic pill that will take back pain away. Overcoming and preventing pain means you need a mix of movement, core strengthening, proper lifting techniques, lifestyle changes, and treatment.
Myth 4: “Back pain is related to ageing.”
Actually patients with the highest incidence of back pain are between the ages of 35 and 55. After age 55, the incidence of back pain goes down due to changes in the spinal discs.
Myth 5: “An MRI will tell you what’s causing your pain.”
Some of our Patients’ MRI’s would suggest they should be in great pain, when in fact they have very little discomfort, and there are many Patients who have completely normal MRIs and are in substantial pain! Osteopaths are trained to find the ‘source’ of the pain and address it rather than treating the superficial symptoms. This is why our treatment works in the long term.
These commonly help beliefs can prevent you from getting better in the long run.
At the Lloyd’s Wellbeing Centre we are committed to looking after the health of the Lloyd’s Community and are always happy to answer any questions you may have about your condition.
