I often see clients with chronic back pain, who have seen many other professionals, and yet they are still suffering in pain. More often than not, they explain that they have seen their G.P, only to be prescribed strong pain killers and referred for six sessions with a Physio. I don’t believe this is the answer.
I can tell you from my own professional experience that one shoe, really does not fit all. It would be great to work alongside General Practitioners, willing to refer patients to an Integrated Therapist, like myself, as opposed to a Physiotherapist.
Chronic back pain usually originates from the gluteal maximus muscle being dysfunctional. The nerves on those muscles stop switching them on at the correct time, so the hamstrings and quadriceps take on more of the load of the hip. To add to this, the small tertiary muscles in the buttocks called the piriformis, and the Quadratus Lumborum muscles connecting from the hip into the lumbar spine, take over the role of the gluteus maximus. This creates a huge imbalance and leaves smaller muscles doing the work of the larger ones that have switched off.
Basically, the gluteus maximus muscles become the bullies and sit back and do nothing to help maintain the core or to stabilise the hips. This brings chronic back pain as the body is signaling its ‘imbalance’ and need for help.
It is massage therapy alongside rehabilitation (physio) work that will ‘fix’ chronic back pain. The Piriformis and Quadratus Lumborum muscles need to be released, via massage therapy, and then rehabilitation exercises must be given to get the gluteal maximus muscles to ‘switch’ back on.
Doctors tend to go down the old school route of referring to those with chronic pain to a physiotherapist for six sessions with prescribed muscle relaxants, such as ‘diazepam’. This only masks, and puts a holding pattern in place. Like a ‘plaster’ effect on the issue. It will never truly get ‘fixed’ nor the body balanced until someone with chronic back pain sees a massage therapist like myself.
I truly believe that doctors and other health practitioners need to be educated further. To liaise with other complementary health practitioners in order to help in the best way possible.
If you suffer with chronic back pain, I can help you. Massage therapy is ultimately the way forward.
