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Understanding Back Pain: Causes, Types, and What You Can Do
- Bronwyn La Brooy
- 2 days ago
- 7 min read
Have you been suffering from back pain?
You’re not alone. Back pain is the leading cause of morbidity and disability in the world! Back pain is incredibly common, affecting around 80% of us at some point in our lives.
The good news? It can be painful and acute, it can be chronic and constant, but the serious form of back pain affects less than 5% of people.Most back pain is manageable, especially when supported by the right care, education, and strategies.
In this guide we break down the different types of back pain, common causes and what you can do to help yourself, and even when it’s the right time to seek help from an osteopath or your GP.
What Is Back Pain and How Common Is It?
Back pain can refer to discomfort in any part of the spine, including the:
Lower back (Lumbar)
Mid-back and ribs (Thoracic)
Neck (Cervical)
We can help to rule out serious back pain by asking a set of questions. If you answer yes to any of our questions during our case history, then we would be referring you off straight away. For many people that we see, they will be experiencing a form of acute or chronic back pain.
Back pain is a broad topic, as “the back” can be considered as the neck, middle back and ribs, and the lower back/pelvis. We are going to split this discussion up into regions of the body, and then the acute and chronic versions of types of injuries.
Actue vs Chronic Back Pain
Acute back pain is the most common type of back pain, affecting someone for a few days up to a few weeks.
Chronic back pain can affect up to 30% of people and lasts longer than 3 months.
If your pain comes and goes more frequently, or is getting worse and impacting your daily life then we recommend booking in a session with us or contacting your GP.
Lower back pain
Acute Lower Back Pain
This is the most common type of back pain, affecting 60% of people over their lives. It's very common due to how the lower back is loaded. We sit a lot, we stand a lot, we change positions a lot. The lower back can feel compressed over time (days/months/years) due to our working postural habits as well as our downtime relaxing on the couch is sedentary still.
We can have acute episodes of back pain that typically lasts less than 6 weeks and is often caused by sudden strain, overuse, or minor injury to muscles, ligaments, or joints.
Common types of pain include:
Sharp or stabbing pain
Muscle spasm
Dull ache that may worsen with movement, bending, or prolonged sitting
Pain that refers slightly into the buttocks or upper thighs.
Chronic low back pain
Defined as pain lasting over 3 months, chronic lower back pain may present as:
A persistent deep or dull ache, burning, or intermittent sharp pain.
Initially as an acute low back pain episode that hasn't been healing as effectively for whatever reason.
It may also be accompanied by nerve-related symptoms like tingling, numbness, or shooting pain if structures like discs or nerves are involved.
Chronic pain often fluctuates and can be influenced by stress, posture, sleep, and physical activity, with some cases lacking a clear structural cause (non-specific chronic low back pain).
We don’t have an understanding as to why some pain goes into chronic states, but when this happens we usually involve another team member in the care plan process including GPs, psychologists or implement exercise based therapies to help manage pain effectively.
We have a blog post on the World Health Organisation’s guidelines for low back pain, read this here!
Middle back pain
Acute Mid-Back Pain
Less common than low back pain but is still present and painful. It can come from:
A sudden twist
A rib joint irritation
Muscle tension between the shoulder blades
Pain is typically localised to a spot but can refer to a headache type pain or lower back pain.
Chronic Mid-Back Pain
Chronic middle back pain is more likely a postural issue for example a scoliosis or kyphosis. Postural pain in this region can also be a trigger for headaches or shoulder tension.
Scoliosis (an S or C shaped curve) and Kyphosis (excessive hunching) are different spinal postures that have different loading patterns into the back.
Neck pain
Acute Neck Pain
Neck pain can be quite painful. Acute neck pain episodes may stem from a sudden movement of the neck, even coughing or sneezing can sometimes injure someone!
Sometimes patients report that it happens “out of the blue,” but in reality, nothing is really “out of the blue!” to us… It can be a series of little things that build up and build up - that one day you move relatively “normally” like getting dressed, and your body decides it doesn't want to cooperate and gets injured.
An example of this in real practice: someone comes in with a neck pain that they are struggling to move in a few directions. They are very robotic with their movements. We chatted and we discovered last week they had a lot of work that was quite stressful. They were quite busy with their family/household, and did a big clean on the weekend. They woke up on Monday very stiff and sore. It's usually a lot of little things that turn into big things… This is a very typical presentation of this type of injury, but also back pain and osteopathy treatment helps to return you to the things you love quickly.
Chronic Neck Pain
A chronic neck pain can be linked to postural overloading, or older injuries that may not have healed as well as they could have. Maybe that person tends to get headaches or migraines as a result of their neck pain. Chronic neck pain can fluctuate with stress, fatigue, and activity levels, and may require a more well rounded approach involving posture correction, movement therapy, and stress management.
What Can I Do If I Have Back Pain?
It's a Saturday, you can't get treatment until the following Monday, these are the best tips to help you out until your appointment:
Calm your nervous system
Pain can be scary and stressful. Taking deep breaths and trying to stay calm helps your brain process pain more clearly and can reduce sensitivity.
Stay Toastie (Can be changed to Keep warm/Use Heat)
Using heat, hot showers, heat packs, warm clothing. Staying warm helps our muscles (and brain!) to relax a bit more
Stay moving! (Gently)
Old advice used to be rest. We don’t want to rest anymore. When we stay still our muscles can tighten back up when we try to move again, so apart from sleeping, try to get up every hour
What are some good stretches for back pain?
If things have calmed down a bit more that you can function enough we want to try to move and stretch all in “pain free” movements. Our favourite movements are:
Pelvic tilts, lumbar rotations and lumbar rolls - to mobilise and move the back in a pain free way
Gluteal/bottom stretching
Cat and cow stretch - arching and hunching the back (without pain)
Child's pose - stretching the back out
You can do all variations of this in bed or sitting down - wherever you are, at the desk or on your mattress!
Do I need to see a GP?
You can see your GP if you think your pain is worsening, or you are finding it difficult to move in many positions. GP’s may give you some pain relief appropriate for you, and possibly send you off for imaging.
You are very welcome to have an osteopathy appointment as we will be the hands on/manual therapy side of the treatment, whereas GP will be helpful for medication and imaging management.
Do I need a referral?
No referral is needed to see our osteopaths.
You can easily book in online or call our practice. However, for chronic injuries you may be eligible for a Medicare Care Plan from your GP. This means medicare can subsidise some of the costs of treatment for up to 5 sessions in a calendar year. Your GP can discuss this with you as they need to write the forms out and see if you fit the criteria.
Final Thoughts
Back pain is incredibly common, but it doesn’t have to control your life. Whether it’s sudden or something you’ve lived with for months, there are many tools, treatments, and strategies that can help.
At Burwood Osteo & Rehab, we treat back pain every day. You’ll be in good hands with our experienced team, and we’ll work with you to get you back to doing what you love
We work with these types of injuries every day. You will be in good hands with our osteopaths.
Want to Talk to Someone?
If you're unsure whether osteopathy is right for your back pain, feel free to give us a call or book online. We’re always happy to help.
Frequently Asked Questions About Back Pain
When should I worry about back pain?
Most back pain isn’t serious, but you should see a GP or healthcare provider if:
Your pain is getting worse
You’re struggling to move in several directions
You feel tingling, numbness, or weakness in your legs
Your pain lasts longer than a few weeks
If you’re ever unsure, it’s always best to check in with a professional.
Should I rest or keep moving if my back hurts?
It used to be common advice to rest when in pain, but now we recommend staying gently active. Movement helps reduce stiffness and keeps the muscles from tightening. Just avoid anything that increases your pain.
What are some good stretches for back pain?
Some gentle stretches you can try include:
Pelvic tilts and lumbar rotations
Glute stretches
Cat-cow stretch
Child’s pose
Stick to pain-free movements and keep it gentle. These can often be done in bed or seated if needed.
What’s the difference between acute and chronic back pain?
Acute back pain usually lasts a few days to a few weeks and is often caused by a strain or posture. Chronic back pain lasts longer than 3 months and can be influenced by stress, older injuries, or postural habits.
Can stress or posture really cause back pain?
Yes. Stress and poor posture are common contributors to back and neck pain. They can build up over time and lead to muscle tension or strain, even without a clear injury. That’s why we often look at the whole picture, not just the sore spot.
Do I need a referral to see an osteopath?
Nope! You can book in directly. However, if you have chronic pain, your GP may be able to set up a Medicare Care Plan to help cover some of your treatment costs.
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