You Need To Consider Doing This If Your Back Ache Is Not Improving With Exercise

Back ache can feel like a constant, draining burden, affecting everything from simple activities like bending down to pick something up, to more demanding tasks like lifting, walking, or standing for long periods. Whether it’s caused by poor posture, muscle strain, or an underlying condition, back ache can quickly interfere with your ability to perform everyday tasks and enjoy life.

The emotional toll of back ache can be overwhelming. The anxiety of not knowing when the pain will subside, coupled with the frustration of being unable to live your life fully, can leave you feeling defeated, stressed, and emotionally drained. If exercise hasn’t provided lasting relief from your back ache, it may be time to consider exploring other treatment options that address the root cause and offer long-term solutions to your discomfort.


Exercise: A Common Approach to Treating Back Ache

Exercise is often recommended for individuals dealing with back ache because it strengthens the muscles that support the spine, improves posture, and enhances flexibility—all of which can help alleviate pain and reduce strain on the back. By strengthening the core and back muscles, exercise can promote better spinal alignment and reduce discomfort.

However, while exercise can be incredibly effective in relieving back ache for many, it may not always provide complete relief, especially if the pain is caused by more complex issues such as herniated discs, arthritis, or muscle imbalances. For some, the discomfort may persist, leaving them unsure of how to proceed, and frustrated by the lack of progress.


Why Getting a Clear Diagnosis Is Crucial

Back ache can arise from many different underlying causes, and understanding the exact cause is crucial for effective treatment. Here are five common causes of back ache:

  1. Muscle Strain – Sudden movements, lifting something too heavy, or poor posture can strain the muscles in the back, leading to discomfort and stiffness.
  2. Herniated Disc – A slipped or bulging disc in the spine can cause nerve compression, leading to pain in the back and potentially radiating down the legs.
  3. Degenerative Disc Disease – As the discs between the vertebrae wear down over time, they can cause pain, stiffness, and loss of flexibility.
  4. Osteoarthritis – Degeneration of the joints in the spine can cause inflammation and pain, especially after sitting for long periods or engaging in physical activity.
  5. Sciatica – Compression of the sciatic nerve can cause pain that starts in the lower back and travels down the leg, often causing discomfort when sitting or standing.

In addition to these common causes, there are two less common but potentially serious causes of back ache:

  1. Spinal Fractures – A broken vertebra in the back can lead to severe pain and limited mobility.
  2. Infections – Infections in the spine can cause inflammation and pain, requiring urgent medical attention.

The Need for Imaging to Get a Precise Diagnosis

It’s important to recognize that back ache cannot always be fully diagnosed based on symptoms alone. Imaging techniques such as X-rays, MRIs, or CT scans are necessary to assess the health of the spine, muscles, discs, and surrounding tissues. These tools provide healthcare providers with a clearer picture of the issue and help develop an effective treatment plan that targets the root cause of the pain.


The Pain Relief Clinic: Your Partner in Finding a Clear Diagnosis

At The Pain Relief Clinic, we understand how back ache can affect your ability to move, work, and engage in everyday activities. With over a decade of experience, we specialize in offering non-invasive diagnostic services to uncover the root cause of your pain. If exercise hasn’t provided lasting relief, we can arrange for affordable scans, typically within one working day.

Medisave can often be used to help cover the cost of these scans, making them more accessible for you.

We also assist with insurance claims, including accident insurance, travel insurance, and company insurance, ensuring that you can access the care you need without added financial strain.

Once we have a precise diagnosis, we can provide targeted treatments, solutions, and non-invasive technology to help alleviate your back ache and restore your mobility.

Ready to take control of your back ache? Send us a message today to arrange an appointment and take the first step toward lasting relief from back ache.

What To Expect When I Visit The Pain Relief Clinic

A typical visit will involve our doctor first understanding your medical history, concerns and previous experience with other pain treatments.

For patients who have consulted many people but have yet to receive a clear diagnosis, selecting an affordable imaging scan might be recommended to confirm the cause of your pain..

Some patients have already done scans with other doctors for their pain condition but are still not clearly told what they suffer from.

Dr Terence Tan is happy to offer you a second opinion and recommend how best to manage your condition.

We also see patients who already have a confirmed diagnosis from specialist pain doctors, but are "stuck” because treatment options offered are not practical or acceptable.

We can help by discussing options that you might have potentially never been told of.

A common experience is when a patient has already consulted a specialist doctor for pain management and is told to consider orthopaedic surgery which they find too aggressive.

Or they may have seen doctors for their pain and were prescribed painkillers with potential side effects which made them feel uncomfortable.

Many of our patients have also first tried complementary treatments or acupuncture with traditional Chinese pain doctors.

They look for a second opinion after finding any relief experienced from other treatments to be temporary or requiring repetitive treatments, which add up to time and cost.

Especially in such situations, we emphasize using non-invasive medical technology you likely have not been told about .

This can make a big difference to your results.