Myth:

I have been told by my doctor that I have arthritis in my back and that I will just have to live with the pain!

Truth:

Arthritis is just medical jargon for joint pain due to inflammation. As with any inflammatory joint pain, if effectively treated, it can be permanently rectified.  

Arthro = joint

Itis = inflammation

If in the event you do have ‘arthritis’ of your lower back, which is just a medical term (jargon) for explaining why you have pain, why we can’t do anything about it, and why you will most likely have to take prescription medication to manage it there are most definitely options for you. In this articles we will cover the causes for your lower back pain joint inflammation and options to alleviate the symptoms and methods to permanently rectify the cause.

For the purpose of this article it is important to distinguish the difference between Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis:

• Osteoarthritis is a localised inflammatory joint condition considered to be caused through wear and tear.

• Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition that can affect all the joints of the body.

In this article we are focusing on the diagnosis of osteoarthritis in the back.

Back pain: Symptoms vs Cause

Back pain treatment focuses on the symptoms rarely the underlying cause. Symptoms of back pain often include joint inflammation and muscular tension. These are symptoms of the lower back being placed in a compromised position due the the true underlying cause - poor postural strength and symmetry.

If only the symptoms are ever addressed and never the cause then Yes - chronic inflammation or arthritis in the back will be something you will have to live with and manage for the rest of your life. However if focus on the true underlying cause of back pain and restore balance and symmetry to the entire body, then you can permanently keep your back pain symptoms away.

That is the key - take away the reason for the joints of the lumbar spine to be chronically inflamed. This is how to eradicate arthritis in the back and ensure it never returns.  

But what about the wear and tear to my spine?

Endless back pain research has been carried on cadavers. People of all ages, size and sex were autopsied to establish how much pathology or damage was present in the lumbar spine. Countless people were found to have completely worn discs, bone on bone, chronic wearing of the spine and facet joints who never ever complained of having back pain.  

If the back is strong, if the muscles that support the structures of the lumbar spine are strong and carrying out their correct function you will not have back pain, you will not have arthritis in your back.  

Wear and tear of the spine or arthritis are not the true cause of chronic lower back pain, it is postural weakness and imbalance. Restore symmetry, restore balance and you will find a permanent solution to your chronic back pain, regardless of what any doctor or back specialist has told you.