What I Treat · Exeter
Back pain treatment in Exeter
Most back pain isn't serious, but it is seriously disruptive. Proper assessment finds what's driving yours, and proper treatment gets you moving again.
£75 · 45 minutes · includes your first treatment
Understanding It
Why backs “go”, and why yours keeps doing it
Back pain is the most common problem I see, and the most misunderstood. The majority of cases are what's called non-specific low back pain: the muscles, joints and discs of the spine becoming painful and protective, often after doing more than usual, less than usual, or something as unglamorous as sneezing.
The good news hiding in that: most back pain settles well with the right treatment and the right movement. The frustrating news: without addressing why it happened, it has a habit of coming back, which is why so many people describe their back as “going” once or twice a year.
Common signs
- Aching, stiffness or sharp pain in the lower back, sometimes spreading into the buttock
- Pain that's worse first thing in the morning or after sitting
- Difficulty bending, lifting, or straightening up
- Muscle spasm that makes you move like a much older version of yourself
- Flare-ups after gardening, training, long drives or desk weeks
How Physiotherapy Helps
Settle it, strengthen it, keep it settled
Assessment comes first: working out which structures are involved, what movements aggravate and ease it, and whether anything about your training, work or habits is feeding it.
Treatment then works on two fronts. Hands-on therapy settles pain and eases the protective spasm, which is often what makes the first week or two so miserable. Alongside that, a progressive exercise plan rebuilds the strength and confidence your back needs, matched to your life rather than a generic sheet of stretches.
The evidence on back pain is clear: the sooner you're moving well again, the better the outcome. My job is to make that possible, and to give you the tools to manage or prevent the next episode yourself.
While You Wait
What you can do today
Keep moving, gently. Bed rest feels tempting but consistently makes back pain worse; short, frequent walks are one of the best things you can do in the early days.
Don't panic about scans. Most back pain doesn't need imaging, and scan findings like “disc bulge” are common in people with no pain at all.
Use heat for comfort if it helps, keep changing position rather than sitting still for hours, and stay at work if you can manage it, even in a reduced way.
Worth Knowing
When to get help
If your back pain has lasted more than a week or two, keeps returning, or is limiting your work, sleep or training, that's exactly what physiotherapy is for, and earlier is easier.
Rarely, back pain needs urgent medical attention rather than physio. Go to A&E or call 999 if you develop numbness around your saddle area, new difficulty controlling your bladder or bowels, or numbness or weakness in both legs. See your GP promptly if back pain comes with feeling generally unwell, fever, unexplained weight loss, or follows a significant fall or accident.
Let's find out what's actually going on
A 45-minute assessment gets you a diagnosis in plain English, a clear plan, and your first treatment on the same day. No GP referral needed.