History
Over the last few years, I have suffered lower back pain, caused by an old injury to back muscles. This resulted in severe pain on occasions, which affected my ability to work, drive and my private life. The worst occasion resulted in me being unable to get out of bed, because my back muscles had gone into spasm. This was only relieved by my GP administering high dose intravenous ibuprofen and valium. I therefore decided that I had to do something about my back problem, since conventional advice seems to be “Yes, you’ve got a back problem, keep taking the pain-killers”.
 
Acupuncture/Osteopathy
At the suggestion of my G.P., I started a course of acupuncture and osteopathy. Having regular session of acupuncture and osteopathy had a profound effect, and the occurrences of back pain decreased in frequency and intensity. In discussions with my acupuncturist, and in reading about back problems, I realised that I also had to change my life style as an additional remedy.

Life style
One major change in my lifestyle that had coincided with increases in back pain was that I was less mobile. My partner and I had recently had a child, and this completely altered our way of life. Right up until the birth of our daughter, we had regularly gone walking, even managing a 3 mile walk in the ninth month of pregnancy. Reading about back pain, one common thread was that a sedentary life is the worst thing for backs. Fortunately, as our daughter has got older, we have been able to resume regular walks, this has increased my mobility, and helped free my back.

Pilates
One further thing that I decided to do was to do some sort of exercises to improve mobility. After asking various people who knew about back problems, I was recommended by Paul to try Pilates exercises, and I signed up to a Pilates evening class. The aim of Pilates is primarily to strengthen muscles, particularly in the stomach and back. Doing Pilates has improved my posture and mobility, and has been extremely beneficial. 

In summary, I would suggest to anyone with back problems to look at what might be the cause, and to take a wider view of possible remedies. Moderate and regular exercise, such as walking, is beneficial and enjoyable, and the discipline of a regular class, such as Pilates, helps motivation. “Alternative” treatments, such as osteopathy and acupuncture, worked for me where conventional remedies failed. Above all, looking at a more holistic approach to the problem, rather than a set of symptoms, seems to work.

- Phil Palmer, Walsall, 19.10.2005