The Internet does offer a wide range of useful information. Even in the standard or usual care of low back pain, booklets or other reading materials are provided. These education materials are designed to help the patient understand back pain and its treatment.
Usual care for low back pain begins with education enouraging patients to keep moving. Rest is okay for a day or two but after that, patients are taught that motion is lotion. Sometimes patients are enrolled in an intensive course. The goal of this type of education is to help patients maintain active control of their own self-management program.
But sometimes self-management of problems like back pain isn’t effective. You may need an evaluation by a qualified health care professional such as an orthopedic surgeon or a physical therapist. They will help you determine the cause of the problem and offer a supervised rehab or retraining program.
If there’s no organic reason for your back pain such as infection, tumor, or fracture, it’s likely you have some type of mechanical low back pain. This means the source of the problem is within the joint and/or soft tissues of the spine. If that’s the case, you may need a specific type of exercise(s).
Studies show that fear-avoidance training helps patients move normally without fear of pain or reinjury. It is usually a behavioral approach designed to help the individual modify his or her activities, gradually moving toward full restoration of normal movement patterns. A physical therapist can evaluate you for fear-avoidance behavior and if needed, get you started on a fear-avoidance training program.
Get some outside help for your pain. Find out what’s causing it and seek professional help. A small investment now in terms of time and resources may save you lost work and wages in the long run.