Causes of Chronic Low Back Pain
All low back pain has an origin, and the key to appropriate treatment is finding yours. There are two broad categories of pain origin: Systemic (diseases such as cancer) and mechanical (such as disc herniation). Systemic causes of low back pain require medical intervention, while mechanical causes can be addressed via the McGill Method.
If your chronic low back pain has a mechanical origin, a physician must assess not only your spine, but your specific exercises, stretches, movements, work habits, and activities of daily living to determine how they affect your spine. Only then can the appropriate intervention be applied and the healing begin.
Another important consideration is how pain is perceived by the brain. All pain signals travel through our nervous system, are modulated, then interpreted by our brain as pain type and severity. When you have suffered repeated or significant physical or even psychological trauma, these interpretations by the brain may not accurately reflect the severity of the injury. Thus the neurology of pain must be considered.
Typical Treatment for Low Back Pain
The American College of Physicians recommends these treatments for low back pain: superficial heat, massage, acupuncture, chiropractic, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or skeletal muscle relaxants, exercise, multidisciplinary rehabilitation, mindfulness-based stress reduction, tai chi, yoga, motor control exercise, progressive relaxation, cognitive behavioral therapy, tramadol or duloxetine, and opioids.
What this list of recommended treatments leaves out are the most important details: Which of these treatments is appropriate for which type of patient, suffering from what type of low back pain, and when and for how long should the treatment be applied before moving on? So doctors generally start at the non-invasive end and work their way through this list. Sound familiar? This is the journey that most low back pain patients describe.
The McGill Method Explained
A world-renowned spine biomechanist, Professor Stuart McGill developed this method over 30 years investigating the mechanisms of low back pain and the path to rehabilitation. His research led to the publication of numerous books (Low Back Disorders: Evidenced Based Prevention and Rehabilitation’ Ultimate Back Fitness and Performance, Back Mechanic: The Step-by-step McGill Method to fix back pain, and The Gift of Injury), hundreds of peer-reviewed articles, a demand for keynote speaking engagements, and advisory positions with various international organizations and athletic organizations. While Dr. McGill has taught thousands of providers around the world, there are only a handful of McGill Method Certified Clinicians.
Our method is different from what is traditionally seen in Physician-guided healthcare: After identifying the tissue involved, the additional step is taken of determining which daily movements, postures and loads are the cause of your pain. Once identified, we show you how to remove those causes, eliminating pain and allowing your body to heal. This may sound simple, but don’t be fooled: the challenge is finding your specific problem and your specific solution, through extensive investigation and assessment. This requires more than a review of MRI findings and a quick physical exam, just as a proper assessment of an automobile requires more than looking at a picture of the engine.
If your pain is chronic, you suffer from episodic major flare-ups, or have not responded to traditional treatment interventions, our method may well be the answer you have been searching for.
What to Expect
Chronic low back pain cases are unique, complex, and require time and care to properly assess. Your three-hour appointment includes all three components of the McGill Method: your history, the examination, and movement coaching (further explained below). Video analysis and tips will be provided, as will a 5-10 page report including a detailed plan of care for after your exam.
