Back pain is never fun..
And is often surrounded by fear and misinformation. Understanding how pain actually works can reduce anxiety, improve recovery, and help you make better decisions about your care.
As chiropractors, we have spent years learning, researching, and treating back pain. Interestingly, educating patients of what causes their pain and what that means for them does as much in recovery as the manual treatment we provide. So with that, below are five important things everyone should know about back pain.
1. Back pain is extremely common
85% of people will experience low back pain at some point in their lives. Fortunately, pain often does not mean damage, and the majority of back pain episodes are not caused by serious structural damage like disc herniations, arthritis, or “things being out of place.”
While back pain can be scary, it is rarely a medical emergency. Backs are strong, adaptable structures designed to move, load, and recover. Feeling pain does not mean you’re fragile or broken. It usually means your system is irritated, sensitive, or overloaded.
2. Imaging (X-rays, MRIs) often creates more fear than clarity
This one’s huge.
Findings like “disc bulges,” “degeneration,” or “arthritis” are normal age-related changes, not automatic causes of pain. Research shows a very weak correlation between imaging findings and clinic symptoms. Meaning someone could have severe findings of degeneration with no pain, or severe pain with no findings of degeneration. Therefore, your scan does NOT define your pain or your future.
Imaging certainly has its place. It can be useful when there are concerns of other underlying causes of your pain, but for most back pain cases it doesn’t change treatment plan, and can actually slow recovery by increasing fear and avoidance.
3. Rest alone is not the answer. Movement is medicine
At first, a short period of rest can help calm things down, but prolonged rest often makes back pain worse, not better.
Our spines love:
- Gradual movement
- Controlled loading
- Increased endurance, tolerance, and confidence
Avoiding movement because of fear often leads to stiffness, weakness, and more sensitivity over time.
Our chiropractors and massage therapists always provide patients with safe, and managable stretches, exercises and resources for you to do at home.
4. Pain is influenced by more than just your spine
Often, we are confused as to why our pain seemingly “came out of nowhere” when we weren’t doing something strenuous to cause it in the first place. It’s important to understand that our bodies are complex machines and are influenced by multiple factors at all times.
Things that strongly influence pain include:
- Stress & poor sleep
- Workload (physical and mental)
- Activity frequency or sudden spikes in activity
- Beliefs about pain (“My back is fragile” or “I’m getting old”)
This doesn’t mean the pain is “in your head” but it does mean the nervous system plays a big role in how pain is experienced.Treating back pain means looking at the whole person, not just the painful spot.
5. A strong back is a resilient back
Pain resolution rarely comes from passive treatments alone. Building strength, endurance and confidence is one of the best long-term strategies for keeping a healthy spine. As a part of our treatment planning, we always provide patients with stretches, exercises, and strategies to help manage their pain on their own from the start by:
- Building strength through the hips, core, and spine
- Providing strategies for at home, work, activity
- Learn how to manage potential flare-ups confidently
At function health + wellness, we look beyond pain itself to determine the best path forward for you. Our team of chiropractors, massage therapists, and naturopathic doctors work together to address your movement, recovery, and lifestyle stress to help you get back to the things you love most.
