Hello I’m John Corfield aka ‘The Cheshire Osteopath’ and thank you for reading my latest short blog about back pain.

When a patient attends my clinic suffering with lower back pain that maybe agonising, constant, intermittent or simply a dull ache they often wonder if their symptoms are a cause for concern, I’m sure they wonder if visiting myself was the best course of action.

I’d like to think that most patients who suffer back pain would be able to have the problem thoroughly assessed and diagnosed by their GP! Sadly most of the patients who visit me following a consultation with their GP state no diagnosis was ever made and only a lucky few received the most simplistic of physical examinations. Of course each and every patient suffering from lower back pain is unique but only following a thorough case history and physical examination by a trained healthcare professional such as myself will the most probable cause of the pain be diagnosed and the appropriate way forward to treat/manage the problem be forthcoming.

What do you class as serious back pain?

The extent of your symptoms isn’t the only indication as to whether or not your back pain is serious, for example If you pull a muscle in your lower back the pain can be intense for lots of reasons I.e it can inadvertently be applying pressure to a disc or facet joint In your back. Now most symptoms from a pulled muscle would alleviate in perhaps a few days or possibly longer, however if it’s a disc, facet joint or even a sacroilliac joint this will and could take a lot longer without treatment and possibly even get worse and be causing more damage.

Back pain that is considered a medical emergency.

To name but a few, back pain that is accompanied by:

1) Loss of bowel or bladder control
2) Urine retention
3) Increased weakness in your legs
4) Rapid weight loss
5) Night sweats
6) Loss of appetite

Offering a very private, exclusive, bespoke service and treatment for the more discerning patient.