Your Complete Guide to Low Back Pain
Are you experiencing lower back pain? Is it acute pain or chronic (persistent) pain? We have covered all of it on our @whealth Instagram this past month. Below are all of those posts curated in one place.
For the lower back, we cover muscle strains, disc bulges, disc herniations, degenerative disc disease, arthritis, sudden acute injuries, our views on MRI’s, X-rays, and other imaging, and also cover some instances that require immediate medical attention. Most videos has 5-7 exercises for you to work on that will likely be beneficial for that specific issue. If an exercise doesn’t feel good to you, don’t do it! Work on the ones that do. These movements can be done daily or every other day - test them out and see what feels best. Let’s get into it!
DISC BULGES - Click here for the video
Have a bulging disc? Many people have bulging discs and experience no pain whatsoever. Some will experience a lot of pain. There are many factors that impact the sensation a person feels and their perception of and intensity of pain.
Maybe you had an MRI done for another reason and saw bulging discs on the imaging report. This is called an “incidental finding”. These incidental findings can sometimes result in a person who was pain-free experiencing pain. Our mind is a very powerful part of what we experience.
We see this as parents. Think of a young child who falls and scrapes their knee. They get up and go back to doing what they were doing without a fuss. Then they look down and see blood dripping from the scrape and they start losing their minds. Crying and feeling a lot of “ouchies”. It’s not a whole lot different for an adult.
The majority of bulging discs occur in the lower back and most bulging discs occur between L4/L5 or L5/S1. Some people will opt for surgery for a disc bulge but many will go for more conservative treatments. We’ve been helping folks recover from disc bulges and herniations using conservative methods for years now. @The.ShirtlessDude (Andrew) had his own 10mm herniation of his L4/L5 that he recovered fully from. After going through the process of rebuilding his movement patterns, strengthening his body, overcoming the fear associated with pain and injury, and optimizing his nutrition he began helping others do the same.
DISC HERNIATIONS - Click here for the video
The approach is similar as above, except that extension (arching the back) may be a big limiting factor for people that amplifies sciatic symptoms down the leg. As long as you have been cleared for exercise by your physician, then doing many of the movements in these videos (very slowly and in a slow range of motion) will likely be beneficial.
When it comes to overcoming and injury (acute or chronic) there is going to be some discomfort and a little bit of pain. If the exercises are increasing pain after you are done doing them, then you need to either reduce the speed, decrease the range of motion, decrease the number of sets or repetitions, or completely avoid that exercise altogether. If you are experiencing pain during the exercise that is tolerable and doesn’t increase pain symptoms after you are done with the exercise, then you can likely continue to work on that exercise every other day.
DEGENERATIVE DISC DISEASE - Click here for the video
Have you or someone you know been told that your disc is degenerative? Well, first of all, this is often just a diagnosis of aging and isn’t really a “disease.” It means you are alive and well. At some point in your life, you will likely have a degenerate disc. Is this something that should be feared? Not at all!
Just because something shows up on an Xray, MRI, CT, etc., does not mean that you will actually have any pain associated with it. In fact, your pain may have nothing to do with what shows up on a scan.
So, what do you do if you are told that you have a degenerative disc? You keep living life, moving, and exercising. The movements in this video are simple and effective. They are by no means an exhaustive list of things that you should be doing, but will give you a good idea of some things to work on. The more you sit around and rest, the more your body will atrophy, so stay active and stay strong. Not sure how to build strength and improve your awareness and mobility? That’s why we have our online programs at www.spreadwhealth.com.
OSTEOARTHIRITIS & OSTEOPHYTES - Click here for the video
Arthritis in your spine? Then get moving! Arthritis is “joint inflammation” that can result in pain, reduced joint range of motion, and is typically more common as we age. Arthritis can also be affected by diet, lifestyle, lack of movement, and disease. Osteoarthritis involves the wearing down of cartilage in a joint.
I have been diagnosed with arthritis in both my wrist and my ankle, as well as the formation of a bone spur in my heel at the ripe age of 21. What did I do? I started moving, but I didn’t just do the same old stuff I always did, I learned more about different types of movement. In other words, I leveled up my movement knowledge.
You will notice that in this series, there aren’t any stretches or massages. Those things are great, but movement is king. Moving the body helps it to produce a fluid in your joints called “synovial fluid” that helps to lubricate the joints. Lubrication is always a welcomed thing. Moving, and muscle contraction in itself, helps to push fluids back up to the heart. If you ever experience swelling in the hands and feet, then get moving and start exercising to help push that fluid and inflammation back to the torso.
One of the best places to start with most injuries is walking for 5-30 minutes multiple times a week (preferably daily). If you can’t do that yet, then do some work in a pool, on a bike (stationary or moving), a rower, etc. Just get the blood flowing and your joints moving.
If you aren’t confident in how to strengthen your body in a way that feels good and yields excellent results, then dive into our online programs (link in bio). There is also a free 5-day Lower Back Pain relief series- click here. Get to work! Stop waiting for others to make your pain go away and start taking action.
NEW SUDDEN INJURY (ACUTE) - Click here
Have you experienced or are experiencing sudden back pain that came out of the blue?
Now, the first part of this little protocol (which is by no means an end all be all) is to rest after a sudden onset of pain. If you experienced a traumatic event (accident, fall, or other trauma) then it may be a good idea to get checked out by a doctor first to rule out anything that is severely torn/broken. Once you are in the clear, though, spend the first couple of days just resting and finding the most comfortable positions that you can to allow the body to calm down and heal.
Then, start incorporating some gentle movement. Pelvic tilts are always a great place to start - tiny and slow ones. Try each of the movements in this series. If any of them hurt you, just skip them and focus on the ones that feel descent.
There may be some discomfort when introducing movement again - that is okay. Start with 2-5 minutes of movement every hour on the 2nd, 3rd or 4th day of your injury (depending on how intense it was).
If none of these exercises work for you, one of the BEST things you can do for any injury is to walk as soon as you possibly can. Use assistance if need be and start something as small as 10 steps, then work your way up in distance/time as the days go by.
The number one takeaway from this is that movement is healing, although it can be uncomfortable at first. Finding a balance between moving too much and not enough is important and requires some trial and error.
If the injury is too severe, isn’t healing in any capacity, or you have lost sensation or control of limbs, bladder, bowels, or sexual function, then seek medical attention.
WHEN TO SEEK IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTENTION - Click here
In many instances lower back pain is not a serious issue- most people will experience it at some point in their lives and many deal with chronic back pain. If you experience new back pain or an acute or traumatic injury- go get checked out by a medical provider and make sure nothing serious is going on.
If you experience any of the following symptoms you should absolutely seek out prompt emergency medical attention:
Loss of sensation in the lower extremities or groin
Loss of ability to control your lower extremities
Loss of bowel or bladder control
Loss of strength in lower extremities
The point of this video is not to instill fear, but rather to remind folks that while social media and the internet can be a fun place to gain knowledge, it should never be a substitution for medical care. Anytime you have some new or troubling symptoms it’s good to get them checked out by a medical provider. If they determine there’s nothing serious going on and clear you for exercise, then by all means hop onto social media, explore new movements, enroll in our programs, etc.
This post is not medical advice, nor is it an exhaustive list of symptoms to seek out medical care for. For the love of chocolate, if you are having any serious health concerns go see a medical provider, not the internet!
IS IMAGING HELPFUL? (X-rays, MRI’s, CT Scans) - Click here
What has your experience been with imaging? Was it helpful? Worth the cost? Are you a provider? How often do you recommend imaging?
Imaging can absolutely be helpful in some instances. Many people have unrealistic expectations when it comes to imaging, though. Imaging can have limitations, and insurance companies are making it increasingly difficult for providers to order the imaging they need to visualize the proper structures and tissues. Often times prior authorization is mandatory and requires that you begin with X-rays even when those will not show what you need to see. Imaging can be extremely costly and requires that the provider order the correct type depending on what they are looking for.
Then comes reading the imaging. A radiologist reads imaging and sometimes two different radiologists may see two different things when they interpret the same image.
The biggest issue, however, is that what is seen on the imaging may not actually be the source of your pain. And sometimes reading incidental findings (things they weren’t looking for but found) can create more anxiety. Many of the medical terminology can sound scary when it isn’t. Something like degenerative disc disease can sound awful but in an aging person is really quite normal and no cause for concern.
If you are considering imaging for a chronic issue be sure that you and your provider have discussed the pros and cons and that you understand any limitations. Many providers will only review imaging if there’s an issue found but ideally they should review it no matter what so people aren’t reading their reports through a portal and getting anxious over things that are harmless.
These are all issues that we have seen in our programs. People, like Jana below, have come into our programs with incredibly scary diagnoses and are very limited by their pain. In a very short time, they are able to make massive improvements. Read Jana’s story below and if that resonates with you, then we recommend that you dive into our Limitless program now.
Have Questions about our programs? Book a free 15 minute consult with Co-Founder Cameron, who overcame pain from an L5S1 herniation & sciatica in 2017.
