Most back pains are not serious but if you are not getting better after a week or two, the recommendation is to see a registered practitioner such as a chiropractor who specialises in these problems as soon as possible (www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng59). The discomfort is usually due to sudden or repetitive strain of joints, muscles or ligaments between the vertebrae in your spine causing stiffness and muscle spasm.

A case history will be taken and you will be asked questions about any medical conditions you may have and how your back problem began and any previous investigations or treatments you may have had in the past. Chiropractors are skilled at detecting the area causing the problem and will explain what is wrong and the proposed treatment plan.

You will be invited to ask any questions. A combination of treatments may be used involving gently freeing the stiff joints with our hands, which is known as manual therapy or manipulation, or using other treatments such as massage, ultrasound or acupuncture. This is the fastest way to get you better and treatment is safe, effective and not painful.

Advice about pain control and activity will be given and often specific exercises will be suggested to help you manage your problem and to prevent it recurring.

Some more complex types of back pain may require further investigation to see if there is a specific mechanical cause. Prof Alan Breen has pioneered research into quantitative video flouroscopy (QF) ...see link to AECC University College - Centre for Biomechanics Research to measure the motion of spinal segments and together with the new open MRI scanner at the chiropractic college in Bournemouth see link AECC University College - Bournemouth Open Upright MRI a more accurate diagnosis can be made. This would determine if surgical stabilisation or a core stability rehabilitation programme might be beneficial.

Remember early treatment will get you better faster.

These are other terms used to describe back pain or aches and pains in the low back or lumbar region. The discomfort is usually due to sudden or repetitive strain of the joints, muscles or ligaments between the vertebrae in your spine causing stiffness.

Chiropractors are skilled at detecting the area causing the problem and treat it by freeing the stiff joints with our hands which is known as manual therapy or manipulation. Other treatments such as ultrasound, acupuncture and exercises together with advice about how to control the pain may be used.

This is the fastest way to get better and treatment is safe, effective and not painful. Advice and often reconditioning exercises will be given to help you manage your problem and to prevent it recurring.

Remember early treatment will get you better faster.

These are quite rare conditions when the small cushion of cartilage between two of your vertebrae in your spine protrudes and presses on a nerve. It is often brought on by prolonged sitting on poorly designed seating or heavy lifting.

Sometimes people have been told they have this when in fact they only have strain of the joints between the vertebrae and muscle spasm. It is not common but chiropractors are trained to detect it and can decide how best to manage the condition. The research evidence for treating this condition with manual therapy is unclear but we treat it in combination with physiotherapy techniques such as ultrasound, acupuncture and management advice particularly with regard to sitting.

Sometimes more severe cases require further tests such as an MRI scan to assess the problem and may require referral to a spinal surgeon (www.spinal-care.co.uk) for further treatment such as pain relieving injections or surgery. In which case your chiropractor will decide when to refer you back to your GP for further intervention.

In very rare cases a severely prolapsed disc or compression of the nerves in the lower back and spinal canal can lead to loss of bladder or bowel function with numbness around the coccyx and pelvic floor. This is called cauda equina syndrome and requires immediate medical intervention.

Pains down the legs or sciatica are usually due to referred sensations, pins and needles and numbness or burning aches from the low back. All the nerves that travel down your legs come from the lower part of the spine

They do not necessarily mean you have a trapped nerve and protruding disc. Often if the pain is above the knee it is just because it is spilling over from the backache and down the leg. When a nerve is irritated, the pain will go below the knee and is constant and worse than the pain in the back.

Chiropractors are trained to diagnose theses conditions and can decide how best to treat them. While there is some evidence from research that manipulation is effective, we use a combination of other physiotherapy techniques such as ultrasound, acupuncture and specific exercises to treat this condition. We will advise on how to manage the condition and control the pain. Advice about sitting posture and often reconditioning exercises will be given to help resolve your problem and to prevent it recurring. This is the fastest way to get you better and treatment is safe, effective and not painful.

Sometimes more severe cases require further tests such as an MRI scan to assess the problem and may require referral to a spinal surgeon (www.spinal-care.co.uk) for further treatment such as pain relieving injections or surgery. In which case your chiropractor will decide when to refer you back to your GP for further intervention.