“My back hurts me right here.” Unfortunately, helping with lower back pain is not always that easy. Often, it takes detective work. Usually, the person is pointing to a symptom of lower back pain and not the cause. Our body is highly trained in compensating movement in order to avoid pain.

If a minor injury occurs and it is treated immediately, it is easier to evaluate and manage the cause. As time goes on, and the body learns compensatory movement patterns, the detective work begins.

It is said that after an acute injury to the lower back, it should take about three weeks to resolve. If it does not resolve, the pain can go from subacute to chronic at about six weeks. Chronic pain is much more challenging to treat.

Not only does the body learn compensatory movement patterns, but the body then produces more pain receptors. The brain will interpret these pain receptors as increased body pain. This can cause a chronic pain cycle to begin. When this nerve pain cycle begins, even if the mechanical issues of the lower back are corrected, the perception of pain can continue.

Pain can be mechanical, thermogenic and/or chemical. Manual therapy and lower back exercises can treat the mechanical pain. Thermogenic is related to cold and heat provoking pain. Chemical pain refers to inflammation. Also, the body releasing chemicals to the brain will continue to make pain receptors. At this point, education to the patient becomes a key component.

Chronic pain causes difficulty in having a good quality of life. It also can shorten your length of life if not controlled properly. It is important to address lower back pain as well as other pains so optimal treatment can be given. When a person is proactive with pain, they usually have better outcomes.

Jodi Jainchill PT, CFMT

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