Chiropractor for Back Pain in Perth

What is back pain?

Back pain is pain, stiffness or aching anywhere from the bottom of your ribs to the top of your buttocks. It can come on suddenly, or build slowly over years.

Back pain shows up in different ways, and the details help us work out what's going on. People often tell us about:

• A dull ache across the lower back that builds through the day
• Sharp, catching pain when bending, twisting or standing up
• Stiffness first thing in the morning that eases as you move
• Pain going from sitting to standing, and getting in and out of the car
• Pain after sitting for long periods, at a desk or in the car
• Pain that spreads into the buttock, or down the leg (see our sciatica page)
• Tightness between the shoulder blades from long days at a screen

Why it happens

Back pain usually comes in two kinds.

The first is simple. A joint catches, and the muscles around it spasm hard to protect it. It can be very painful, but this kind can often settle quickly.

The second is more serious. It builds slowly over months or years, and it can flare into a disc problem. Or it's a problem that's been building for years, like arthritis in the joints, that's only starting to show now, when before it was never a problem at all. For desk workers, the usual suspects behind it are:

• Long hours sitting with little movement
• A chair, desk or car seat that doesn't support you
• Weak deep core and hip muscles
• Stiff hips and upper back, which push more load onto the lower back
• Lifting, gardening or weekend sport after a week of sitting
• Stress and poor sleep, which can make pain feel worse
• Disc irritation, which can also cause leg pain

The different names back pain goes by

Your doctor, physio or a scan report may have used one of these names. Here's what each one means, in plain words:

• Facet joint pain (facet syndrome): the small joints at the back of each vertebra get irritated or pinched. Often sharp, on one side, and worse leaning back or twisting.
• Sacroiliac (SI) joint pain: pain where the spine meets the pelvis, low down on one side, near the dimple. Often worse rolling in bed, climbing stairs or standing on one leg.
• Disc bulge and disc herniation: the cushion between two vertebrae bulges or tears and can press on a nerve. Often worse sitting and bending, and can send pain down the leg.
• Sciatica: pain, tingling or numbness down the back of the leg when the sciatic nerve is irritated. See our sciatica page.
• Arthritis and degeneration (spondylosis): wear-and-tear changes in the joints and discs, common as we age. Often stiff in the morning and after sitting.
• Muscle spasm and strain: the muscles lock up to protect an irritated joint or after overloading. Painful, but often settles.
• Lumbago: an old word for lower back pain, usually a sudden, sharp grab.

The real cost: you

Most people with back pain learn to work around it. They stop bending, stop lifting, stop playing. They sit on the couch in the one position that's comfortable, and sleep on one side because they've learned they can't lie on the other. They tell themselves it's just age, or just a busy week.

But the real cost isn't the ache. It's what you give up. You stop running and walk instead. Eighteen holes of golf becomes nine. The adventure holidays you used to love become a week by the pool. You watch the school running race instead of joining in.

And it's tiring. You know the old line, you're not you when you're hungry? You're not you when you're in pain either. You get short with the people you love because you're sore and tired all the time.

A note from Geoff

I take back pain very seriously. Often people want to come in when they're in the worst pain of their life, and want to be seen straight away. I understand. But when you're in that much pain, you can't tell what's going on, and neither can anyone else until things settle.

It could be a facet joint that's pinched. It could be a sacroiliac joint. It could be a disc bulge or a disc herniation. It could be sciatica. There are many possible combinations.

So when someone's in severe pain, our team usually recommends you stay at home. It sounds backwards, but getting in the car and coming in can make it worse, and the most I could do on the day is probably give you an ice pack and tell you to rest. Call us, book in for when you can move more comfortably, and look after yourself until then. If you have any of the warning signs on this page, go to your GP or emergency instead.

Once you can move, I look at how your whole spine is sitting: the lower back, the hips and pelvis, and the upper back above. A stiff upper back or tight hips often push extra load onto the lower back. Then we adjust you the way your body needs and give you specific exercises for your problem. That's the Vitality Method.

Try this right now

Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Slowly bend forward towards your toes, then come back up and gently lean back. Does one direction hurt more? Does the pain shift to one side, or into your buttock?

Notice which movement brings it on. That's the first clue, and it's where I'd start looking.

How we assess back pain

We start by listening. When did it start? What makes it better or worse? What can't you do right now that you want to get back to?

Then we examine how your lower back, hips and pelvis move, check your strength and reflexes, and test the nerves into your legs. We also screen for warning signs that need medical care instead. If X-rays or scans are clinically justified, we'll explain why before referring you.

If you've had chiropractic care before and it's safe to do so, we'll get you moving as best we can on the day. But if I can't be completely clear on what's going on, I'll get a set of X-rays first, to make sure everything is done properly for you.

You'll leave with a clear explanation of what we think is going on, and an honest opinion on whether chiropractic care is a good fit.

What your plan will include

Here's exactly what happens when you come to Vitality with back pain:

• A detailed consultation and clinical assessment
• Digital X-rays if clinically required, bulk billed with a valid Medicare card
• Specific adjustments to assess whether change is possible for you
• If change is possible, and it's what you want, a care plan built around you and your lifestyle
• Specific stretches and core and hip exercises
• Desk, chair, car seat and mattress advice
• Daily tips for sitting, lifting, sleeping and staying active

My promise to you

Guidelines for low back pain recommend staying active, and list spinal manipulation as one option that may help some people. Everyone is different, so I won't promise a set number of visits.

What I do promise is to find out what's really going on in your back, tell you straight whether we can help, and keep checking the plan is working. If it isn't, we'll change it or refer you on.