Alternative medicine is an approach more and more sufferers are using to treat back pain. Why this should be the case is probably due to the ineffectiveness of many of the more conventional methods. No one can deny that modern medicine can achieve what would have been viewed as miracles only twenty years ago with previous incurable conditions routinely treated.
But what about the common everyday problems that many of us suffer from, in particular back pain. Sure, in most cases it isn?t serious and rarely life threatening, but it can severely impact on the quality of your life. The failure of traditional medicine to treat or cure back pain is mainly due, in my opinion, to not recognising the possible causes. Back pain is invariably treated as literally?. a pain in the back. This means either prescribing painkillers or muscle relaxants ? neither offering a real cure (or even effective treatment).
When to consider alternative medicine
I would always advice you to see your own doctor before you take any other course of action. Your back pain may be a symptom of a serious condition that conventional medicine can treat very effectively. But if your doctor cannot find an obvious cause and prescribes pain relief drugs then perhaps it is then worth looking into alternative medicine for back pain treatment.
This is where I believe an alternative approach really can provide the better option because they won?t see it as a pain in the back - it?s a problem relating to the whole person. When you visit an alternative therapist (after checking first they are professionally qualified and have the right insurance) they will ask many questions before carrying out a thorough physical examination. This may cover aspects such as your diet, lifestyle and previous health problems. Then, depending on the discipline the practitioner will take a different course of action.
But does it really work?
Whilst there are many alternative ways to treat back pain only a few have been the subject of serious research. More doctors are now prepared to recommend other treatments outside of the usual conventional approach where clear evidence of their effectiveness has been demonstrated.
Osteopathy and chiropractic treatments are well established with over one hundred years of practice and numerous studies showing some benefit.
More recently acupuncture has been shown to be successful for treating back pain and a growing number of studies agree. One claim against the usefulness of alternative medicine has been it?s purely down to the placebo affect. Doubters claim that anyone spending an hour with a therapist will feel better due to the attention they receive. However, recent research using acupuncture can refute this claiming that when ?dummy? needles were used in treatments it had no effect.
Many have their own personal preferences when is comes to treating back pain. I would suggest that you try a few to find one that works for you. In addition to the manipulative approach there are a growing number of alternatives including CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) and the always controversial homeopathy.
In the last ten years in my role as an Alexander Technique Teacher I have seen thousands of people who have benefited from conventional, the distinctly unconventional and alternative approaches. I have also seen many hundreds who have not benefited at all from any until they have recognised and rid themselves of the poor habits that often underlie back pain ? that?s where a method such as The Alexander Technique can help.
Roy Palmer is a teacher of The Alexander Technique and teaches back pain sufferers how to address poor postural habits that may be the cause. For more information on how your posture may be contributing to your condition please click Back Pain. | |
