Lower Back Pain Treatment In Singapore

What Is Lower Back Pain?

In Singapore, where active lifestyles are common, lower back pain is a prevalent condition that leads many to seek physiotherapy. This discomfort affects the lumbar region, encompassing the five vertebrae crucial for supporting our body’s weight and enabling a range of movements. The lumbar spine’s central role in movement and posture means it’s particularly prone to stress and strain. Such pain can stem from routine overuse, structural imbalances, or more chronic conditions, manifesting in various intensities from a mild, consistent ache to sharp, mobility-restricting pain. In the next section, we will talk about the specific symptoms and signs associated with lower back pain, an essential step in identifying the most appropriate physiotherapy treatments.

Types Of Lower Back Pain

Lower back pain can be categorised as acute, subacute, or chronic:

• Acute pain: Lasts from a few days to four weeks
• Subacute pain: Lasts between four to 12 weeks
• Chronic pain: Lasts 12 weeks or longer

According to the National Institutes of Health, approximately 23% of people with acute back pain tends to develop chronic back pain.

What Causes Lower Back Pain?

There are multiple potential causes for lower back pain, they include:

• Sprains and Strains: A sprain occurs when a person has overstretched or torn a ligament. Doing the same to a tendon or muscle results in a strain. Common causes of lower back pain, back sprains, and strains can be due to overuse, sports injuries, twisting awkwardly, or lifting something too heavy or in an improper manner.
• Intervertebral Disc Degeneration: It occurs when the rubbery discs wear down as part of the normal ageing process and lose their cushioning ability.
• Lumbar Spondylosis: It refers to the general degeneration of the spine with age. It is associated with normal wear and tear in the joints, discs, and bones of the spine.
• Arthritis: It refers to the inflammation of the joints in the spine, and can include osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis as well as spondylitis, an inflammation of the vertebrae.
• Sciatica (also known as Radiculopathy): It is caused by pressure on the sciatic nerve that travels through the buttocks and extends down the back of the leg. People with sciatica may feel shock-like or burning pain in the lower back, coupled with pain through the buttocks and in one leg.
• Spinal Stenosis: It refers to the narrowing of the spinal column that puts pressure on the spinal cord and nerves.
• Spondylolisthesis: When spondylosis is left untreated, a vertebra of the lower spine can slip out of place, pinching the nerves exiting the spinal column.
• Psychosocial Factors: This includes depression and anxiety, or issues arising from a particular work or family environment.

Common Symptoms Accompanying Lower Back Pain

In understanding lower back pain, recognising its symptoms is just as important as identifying its causes. These symptoms are direct reactions from the body to the problems within the lumbar spine.

• Muscle Tension: Usually the first sign, tightness in the lumbar muscles can cause your back to feel stiff and sore, reducing flexibility and ease of movement.
• Limited Movement: The pain may restrict a person’s ability to move freely, affecting everyday actions like bending down or lifting objects.
• Pain that Spreads: It’s common for lower back pain to radiate to the legs. Sciatica, a particular kind of radiating pain, travels below the knee or into the foot and is often linked to a herniated disc.
• Isolated Leg Pain: Sometimes, pain in the legs may occur on its own, which could suggest sciatica, especially when it comes with a sense of numbness or a ‘pins and needles’ feeling.

These symptoms are your body’s way of telling you that something isn’t right in the lower back. For those seeking physiotherapy, understanding and communicating these symptoms accurately is essential for creating an effective treatment approach.

Lower Back Pain Diagnosis

Following the identification of symptoms, the next critical step is diagnosing the root cause of lower back pain. A healthcare provider will conduct a comprehensive physical exam to assess your back’s condition and your ability to perform basic movements. You may be asked to describe the intensity of your pain and discuss the ways it limits your day-to-day activities.

This hands-on evaluation helps in locating the pain source, determining the extent to which pain limits movement, and identifying any associated muscle spasms. To exclude more serious conditions and to pinpoint the exact cause of back pain, your provider might recommend diagnostic tests, such as:

• X-rays: Useful for revealing signs of arthritis or fractures, although they do not show soft tissue structures like muscles and discs.
• MRI or CT Scans: These scans produce detailed images that can identify herniated discs or issues with other back components.
• Blood Tests: Can uncover if an underlying infection or disease is present.
• Nerve Studies: Tests like Electromyography (EMG) measure the electrical activity in nerves and muscles, helping to confirm nerve compression from herniated discs or spinal stenosis.

The diagnostic process is essential for crafting a tailored treatment plan, potentially involving targeted physiotherapy, to address the specific causes of lower back pain.

Physiotherapy As A Treatment For Lower Back Pain

After a diagnosis pinpoints the causes of lower back pain, physiotherapy may be recommended as part of a comprehensive treatment plan. It’s essential for individuals to have a discussion with their healthcare provider to determine if physiotherapy is a suitable complement to other treatments like medications, including NSAIDs or muscle relaxants.

Should physiotherapy be advised, it offers a holistic treatment approach, potentially working in harmony with other interventions:

• Topical Pain Relief: As a direct method to alleviate pain, this can be supported by the physical modalities used in physiotherapy.
• Manual Therapy: Utilising hands-on techniques to enhance joint mobility and ease muscular tension.
• Exercise Prescription: Customised stretching and strengthening routines aimed at bolstering back health and enhancing functional capacity.
• Heat/Ice Therapy: Application of heat or cold to assist in reducing pain and inflammation, complementing the action of topical treatments.
• Patient Education: Providing advice on daily activities and ergonomic practices to help maintain improvements and minimise the risk of pain recurrence.

This integrated approach ensures that each aspect of treatment contributes to a more effective recovery process.

What To Do If You Have Chronic Lower Back Pain?

Continuity and progression are crucial when dealing with chronic lower back pain. While maintaining activity is beneficial, resting excessively can be counterproductive. If the pain shows no sign of abating or begins to intensify, this is the signal to engage further with a physiotherapist. Their role is to escalate care appropriately, providing targeted interventions that can help mitigate the stubborn nature of chronic pain. This might involve a dynamic blend of therapeutic exercises, manual therapy, and functional movement retraining, all aimed at reducing discomfort and improving your quality of life.

Lower Back Pain Prevention Tips

Preventing lower back pain isn’t just about addressing it when it arises; it’s about daily habits that contribute to spinal health:

• Stretching: Start or end your day with a routine that includes stretches for the back and legs to maintain flexibility and reduce tension.
• Core Strengthening: Incorporate exercises like planks and bridges into your fitness regimen to build the muscles that support your lower back.
• Posture Awareness: Be conscious of your posture when sitting — using an ergonomic chair can help — and take breaks to stand and stretch regularly.
• Active Lifestyle: Integrate activities like walking or swimming into your routine, which are gentle on the back yet effective for overall health.
• Proper Lifting Technique: Always bend at the knees and keep the back straight when lifting heavy objects to avoid strain.
• Supportive Sleep Setup: Use a mattress and pillows that keep your spine aligned and support the natural curve of your back, and try to sleep in a position that minimises stress on your lumbar region.
• Weight Management: A balanced diet and regular exercise can help maintain a healthy weight, reducing the burden on your back.
• Smoke-Free Living: Quitting smoking can prevent damage to spinal tissues and help maintain a healthy blood supply to the spinal discs.

By integrating these practices into your daily life, you can significantly lower the risk of developing lower back pain and contribute to your overall well-being.

How Can We Help You With Lower Back Pain?

Experiencing severe lower back pain can be understandably worrying, and while it may not always signal a grave condition, it does warrant professional attention. At Rapid Physiocare, we prioritise a comprehensive assessment to identify the cause and appropriate treatment for your pain.

Our team of physiotherapy specialists offers a range of techniques aimed at alleviating discomfort. Through manual therapy, we work to reduce stiffness and enhance the movement of your spine. Movement exercises are tailored to restore proper motion and improve posture, while progressive strengthening exercises focus on building the core stability that is essential for back health.

Recognising the underlying causes of your pain is pivotal, and self-management without professional insight might not address these factors. With a detailed evaluation, we can formulate a physiotherapy plan that targets your specific needs.

For those seeking guidance on lower back pain and potentially other musculoskeletal conditions, we provide assessments and a range of physiotherapy services.