At Central Oxford Osteopathy, back pain is the number one condition we treat. That’s not surprising given that, in Britain, as many as eight out of ten of us will suffer from it at some point during our lives (1). Since ~5.6 million working days in the UK are lost each year due to back pain, we know how important it is to get you back to full fitness (2, 3).
We treat a wide range of patients in Oxford, because back pain can affect anyone at any age. It can often be the result of a sprain or a strain of the structures of the back such as the muscles, ligaments, joints or damage to the discs. Osteoarthritis or wear and tear in the back can also be to blame.
We also see patients where back pain has been brought on by lifting, moving awkwardly or by an accident. Sometimes it can come on without any specific injury to your back. Stress, depression, posture, being overweight, sedentary living and poor lifestyle habits can all be significant factors.
Sometimes x-rays, scans and other tests are required to make a full diagnosis. We can treat severe cases with our spinal decompression (IDD) therapy – the only clinic in Oxford offering this service. If we feel our osteopathy or IDD treatment cannot completely heal or discover the cause of your back pain, we will refer to your GP or a specialist for any additional investigation.
Back pain can be painful and inconvenient, but it’s not usually serious and will often resolve on its own within a few weeks. There is good quality evidence on the beneficial effects of manipulation for back pain and the National Institutes for Clinical Excellence recommends osteopathy for sub-acute and chronic low back pain. Our osteopaths are also skilled at helping prevent back pain from becoming a chronic, long-term condition.
In your first appointment at Central Oxford Osteopathy, one of our osteopaths will identify the source of your back pain and tailor a treatment plan to meet your individual needs. We can use a wide range of gentle manual treatments depending on your age, fitness and diagnosis. We may gently massage the soft tissues of your back or rhythmically “rock” the joints to release tension. Sometimes we may gently manipulate the back to loosen the joints and you may hear a “click”. We may also relieve your back pain by treating other areas in the body such as the hips or neck.
We have helped patients with a wide range of conditions including acute back pain, chronic back pain, disc problems, mechanical back pain, sciatica, ankylosing spondylitis and osteoarthritis
If your back pain is severe or if other manual treatments have not provided lasting relief you may be a candidate for our innovative IDD therapy spinal decompression. We are the only clinic in Oxford with the technology and expertise to offer this treatment.
Your long term recovery is important to us. Once we have treated your immediate pain at the clinic, we will help you maintain your recovery by recommending gentle exercise and stretches you can do at home. We may offer advice on your lifestyle particularly if we feel there is a repetitive activity that may be triggering your back pain. We may also offer advice on your posture and provide advice on diet and exercise.
If you think we can help you with your pain, then book to see an Oxford back pain osteopath at our clinic today.
Acknowledgement: with thanks to Institute of Osteopathy for data and sources.
Get long-term relief from chronic back pain, sciatica and disc injuries — without injections or surgery. IDD Therapy (Intervertebral Differential Dynamics) is the leading form of non-surgical spinal decompression, gently but effectively relieving pressure on problematic spinal discs while improving mobility and supporting long-term healing.
Using the Accu-SPINA system — globally recognised as the gold standard — IDD Therapy allows us to decompress a specific spinal level, something traditional traction could never do.
Conditions treated: Herniated or bulging discs, sciatica & nerve pain, degenerative disc disease, facet joint syndrome, spinal stenosis, and chronic back or neck pain.
Congratulations to the newest member of our team, Ladina Berther, for being the well deserved winner of the 'Rising Star' award at this years annual Institute of Osteopathy awards ceremony! The award shines a spotlight on her outstanding achievements to date. And we look forward to seeing her continued exceptional contribution to patient care here at Central Oxford Osteopathy....