By Jackie

People who suffer from low-back pain often wait to see their doctor because they think they may have “temporarily strained” or hurt their back. No one wants to spend extra time or money seeing the doctor if the condition will just go away by itself.

But if weeks go by and the pain still persists, it is a smart move for you to consult your doctor. Depending on the severity of the pain, the location of the pain, and what caused the pain to occur, he or she may suggest you undergo lumbar imaging (radiography, CT scan, or MRI).

If you doctor doesn’t suspect any serious underlying condition, you may not need the lumbar imaging. A recent study published in Lancet (Feb 2009) examined the use of lumbar imaging for patients with low-back pain. The study examined patients with low-back pain who had no history or clinical features suggestive or serious low-back problems. They then divided the patients into two separate groups: those who immediately underwent lumbar imaging and those who were treated with regular clinical care. When the study followed up with the two groups in the short term (3 months) and long-term (6 months), they found no differences in quality of life, level of pain or function, mental health, overall improvement, or satisfaction with treatment.

The study was so sure of its results that it recommended, “Clinicians should refrain from routine, immediate lumbar imaging in patients with acute or subacute low-back pain and without features suggesting a serious underlying condition.”

What this means for you, as a patient with low-back pain, is that you do not have to immediately undergo lumbar imaging if your doctor doesn’t suspect an underlying condition. This may be a hard choice, especially because in American culture we want answers immediately. However, you may be better served to follow the clinical treatment options first, save the extra money, and try other alternative treatments (try reading Yoga Can Decrease Your Low Back Pain). If your pain continues to persist, your doctor can schedule you for any tests you may need.

A study published by the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (July 2008)* found that an intensive one week program of yoga can reduce chronic low back pain. The yoga program was specifically designed for low back pain and consisted of postures, breathing practice, meditation, and an introduction to the philosophical concepts of yoga. The participants in the program experienced decreased pain and increased spinal flexibility, spinal flexion, spinal extension, right lateral flexion, and left later extension.

If you suffer from low back pain, you may benefit from practicing yoga. But before you jump into the first yoga class you can find, there are a few things to consider. If you have never practiced yoga before, it is best to start with an introductory or gentle class. These classes will show you the basics of yoga so that you can breathe properly and complete postures without hurting yourself. Once you have learned the basics, you can move on to more advanced classes. Keep in mind that there are many different styles, so make sure to ask about the style and what makes it unique before joining the class.

If you try a yoga class and you don’t like it, don’t give-up yet. The teacher makes all of the difference in a yoga class. Even within the same style of yoga, teachers can use different techniques, postures, series, and music, in addition to determining the intensity of the practice and the general atmosphere. Try a few different teachers before you rule-out yoga altogether.

If you don’t have time to work yoga into your schedule now, try stretching at least once a day. In the yoga study, the participants were compared to a control group who only practiced physical exercises. Participants in the control group also experienced increased flexibility and decreased pain (though not as much as those who practiced yoga). So, if you don’t have time to make it to a yoga class, try doing some simple stretches in the morning or at night before you go to bed.

*Padmini Tekur, Chametcha Singphow, Hongasandra Ramarao Nagendra, Nagarathna Raghuram. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. July 1, 2008, 14(6): 637-644. doi:10.1089/acm.2007.0815.

Author Bio: Jackie Schuld is an educational editor and writer at Clear Passage Therapies.

By Jackie

A study published in July of 2008 found that an intensive one week program of yoga can reduce chronic low back pain. The yoga program was specifically designed for low back pain and consisted of postures, breathing practice, meditation, and an introduction to the philosophical concepts of yoga.  The participants in the program experienced decreased pain and increased spinal flexibility, spinal flexion, spinal extension, right lateral flexion, and left later extension.

Before you jump into the first yoga class you can find, there are a few things to consider. If you have never practiced yoga before, it is best to start with an introductory or gentle class. These classes will show you the basics of yoga so that you can breathe properly and complete postures without hurting yourself. Once you have learned the basics, you can move on to more advanced classes. Keep in mind that there are many different styles, so make sure to ask about the style and what makes it unique before joining the class.

If you try a yoga class and you don’t like it, don’t give-up yet. The teacher makes all of the difference in a yoga class. Even within the same style of yoga, teachers use different techniques, assist participants differently, explain postures and breathing differently, use different kinds of music, do different series of postures, determine the intensity of the practice, and much more. Try a few different teachers before you rule-out yoga altogether.

If you don’t have time to work yoga into your schedule now, try doing stretching at least once a day. In the yoga study, the participants were compared to a control group who only practiced physical exercises. Participants in the control group also experienced increased flexibility and decreased pain (though not as much as those who practiced yoga). So, if you don’t have time to make it to a yoga class, try doing some simple stretches in the morning or at night before you go to bed.

If you would like to read more about causes of low back pain, visit our back pain page.