UNDERSTANDING LOW BACK PAIN AND WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT
[I am not an expert on the subject matter nor is this post equivalent to a proper medical advice. This post is only published to create awareness and to educate the public.]
“My lower back is a bit stiff,” said one of my clients during a getting-to-know you session. I would normally ask a few questions for first-time customers who wanted a relaxing massage. I do this to know if there are any medical conditions that I should be aware of.
I then write it in a paper, together with the other details from the customer. In this way I can monitor their progress if they ever showed again for the next time.
I would also sometimes ask them, “Do you have a physiotherapist, or a specialist?” This is important for me because I only do a non-medical massage, but it would also be beneficial to encourage them to consult their health care provider (maybe a doctor who could then recommend a specialist such as a physiotherapist to have the root cause examined closely).
Most of the time, some of my customers who are aware of problems in their lower back had already consulted a physiotherapist, who had recommended that a relaxing massage may indeed help their case.
After my session, I would talk to the client to discuss with them if I felt or saw anything strange, and likewise if they felt something during the massage. This information could normally be handy for communication to the health care provider.
WHAT IS LOW BACK PAIN (LBP) AND WHO HAS IT?
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), LBP can be a dull ache or a sharp pain between the lower edge of the ribs and the buttocks.
I normally hear people in Belgium say “lumbago”, which I interpret as an alternative term to that area of the back.
Most cases of LBP are non-specific (meaning that it could not be identified to an underlying disease), and it can be acute (lasts up to 6 weeks) or chronic (can last over 12 weeks).
People at any age can experience LBP but the peak occurs at 50-55 years, and more women experience it. It can cause problems with sleep, low mood and distress.
That it can affect our quality of life, might probably be an understatement for me.
“Did you sleep well?” I would sometimes ask my customers. This is normally an opening conversation to see how well it is going with them.
My partner often had problems with his lower back. It affected sometimes his sleep quality. It went so painful one time that we had to consult and go to a physiotherapist to have his body examined.
CAUSES OF LBP AND PREVENTION MEASURES
In reality, I believe that it can be difficult to identify what is the root cause of an LBP. My partner thought it could be due to improper sleep position at bed, or the quality of the mattress. But the thing was, I never experienced pain in my lower back, even though we slept on the same bed.
He had once fallen off a steep slope as a child while walking in the hills, thankfully being saved by a tree, against which his back was directly hit. It could also be a risk factor for him.
An interesting encouragement that I learned was that age is not a hindrance.
“Is it inevitable that as we age, we will get low back pain?” asked by Vismita Gupta-Smith from the WHO during an interview with Dr. Yuka Suma in 29 April 2024.
“No,” answered Dr. Suma. “We all can achieve healthy aging. Low back pain is not inevitable for everyone”.
They then proceeded to discuss what possible treatments are available. “Treatments should consider your needs, values and preferences. It might be important for you to pick up your grandchild, or go for a long walk, or simply have a good night sleep,” explained by Dr. Suma.
She further added: “The treatments should prioritize for you to do or to continue to do whatever that is important to you. Specific treatments might include effective self-care, physical therapies, such as exercise and massage, psychological therapies that can help you focus on what you can do, not on the pain.”
Self care includes:
being physically active
optimizing mental well-being
maintaining a healthy body weight
not smoking tobacco
getting good sleep
being engaged in social and work activities
making ergonomic adjustments in the workplace.
CAN A RELAXING MASSAGE HELP?
The customer himself or herself can feel what is best for him or her, as this is his or her body. I have checked the general research, and there are differing opinions about it. The WHO, in its Guideline for Non-Surgical Management of Chronic Primary Low Back Pain in Adults in Primary and Community Care Settings, has given a conditional recommendation in favor of its use but it gives very low certainty evidence.
In my opinion, relying solely on a relaxing massage in itself is not a direct treatment because the problem could normally be a mix of physical, and psychological factors. However, in combination with knowing your boundaries (when you should start standing up after sitting for a long time at your desk, or knowing when you are abusing your body), exercising daily, and maintaining good posture, regular massage could decrease your risk factors.
“Discuss your chronic low back pain openly with your health care workers, including your mental well-being and social context, so that they can help you to identify your suitable treatment options that you can agree on and that will work best for you,” advised Dr. Suma, for those people who already have chronic LBP.
HEALTH IS WEALTH
To close, I find it ironic that we sometimes sacrifice our health to achieve wealth during our early years, only to use that wealth to regain the health that we lost in our final years.
Prevention is better than cure.
The earlier we practice good habits, the better we can experience a happier and healthier life, even as we age.