Back pain can be sort of mysterious. We’ve created popular, but largely ineffective sayings for addressing back pain, and many have become cliche. You may have heard, “Strengthen your abs,” “Strengthen your back,” or “Stretch your hamstrings.” You might have said, “I need a massage” or you may have heard therapists point out, “There are knots in your back and you’re muscles are tense.” Simple solutions such as these inspire hope, but they fizzle out as ineffective attempts. If these solutions were effective and back issues were simple back pain wouldn’t be one of the most common medical complaints. Usually back pain is a complex and dynamic problem, and to add to that the origins of each person’s pain may be very different. It is a given that the area in pain should be treated, the soft tissues should be eased and brought back to a more fluid state. Treating the area directly is certainly protocol – when contraindications are not present – but, there’s more than that. Part of what contributes to the pain is remaining mentally fixated on localized treatment. Let’s let go of our culture of “cliche solutions.”  Thinking outside of the box means thinking outside of the spine.

Structural Integration presents a global perspective of the body; and when understanding the spine the dynamics of local and distant anatomical landmarks such as the ribs, shoulders, and the sternum (in the chest) are seen as directly related.

The ribs and sternum are important aspects of the spine which many clients and professionals often overlook during treatment. The sides and front of the body have a direct affect on long term results. Maybe even more enlightening is that giving freedom to these adjacent structures can also contribute to decrease possible future susceptibility of acute and chronic pain.

When back muscles becomes rigid and spinal resilience is compromised the entire thoracic trunk is affected and all the structures from one extent to another freeze. When a vertebrae or a section of the spine is affected it is effected three-dimensionally, meaning to treat back pain thoroughly it is also neccessary to restore fluidity in the front (sternum), top and bottom (neck and shoulder blade), side to side (ribs) and through the body because the body is not hollow – it is three dimensionally connected. The soft tissues i.e., muscles, fascia, tendons, and ligaments on the very front of the spine (behind the organs) need to become fluid again for long term relief.  This  concept is foundational, but unique to Structural Integration, good practitioners can affect change at this level.

For the most part, medical issues don’t appear randomly, they’re the result of a string of events.  When a client is telling me about an ailment or a symptom I take a step back and refocus, I broaden my attention.  Of course, my interest is in the symptom because it’s a sign, but I really want to know why it’s present, why the body has manifested it, what factors have caused it?  I want to understand the symptoms, signs, themes and processes that have been happening – especially those that have been happening for a long time.  I want to see and understand the probable factors, tendencies, and habitual patterns that have contributed to the problem.  I want to know who a person is mentally, physically, and emotionally.   Symptoms are nothing more than patterns, as Dr. Rolf insightfully said, “patterns that perpetuate themselves.”  By the time a pattern presents itself as a symptom the chronic stage has moved on to what’s called the acute (of the chronic) stage, at this point outside intervention is be appreciated.

Here are two cases treated successfully with unconventional medicine.

1.)  Case of asthma.  Client complains of having trouble with asthma for 25+ years.  Must keep inhaler nearby at all times.  Uses inhaler 3-6 times daily.  Upon further inquiry other (seemingly unrelated) symptoms were present: stress from work and family, allergies, digestive issues, feels better traveling, wheezing cough, feelings of loneliness, sleepless, runny nose, tired, takes longer than what’s expected to recover from colds and flus.  I put together a time line which showed the asthma began at about 5-6 years old – a time of serious family discord – a key causation. Conventional drugs helped to manage the asthma, but with time and without a holistic approach life patterns would become more deeply ingrained and symptoms would probably become worse and eventually more difficult to treat.
After one homeopathic remedy, most symptoms have subsided, very little need for inhaler for the first time in many many years, needs to travel less.

2.)   Back pain.  Client complains of having thrown out back after reaching up for a light object.  On structural analysis left leg appears longer, right hip higher, left shoulder higher, strong curves especially in lower cervical/upper thoracic region of spine indicate spinal instability (when viewed from client’s back side.  The back pain was at the area of spinal vertebrae C-6, C-7, T 1-3, where the spine seemed to have the greatest degree of curve.  The right side of the spine looked “shorter” on visual analysis.  In movement assessment I perceived that the client had little movement through the painful area, breath was also compromised here.  The acute pain seemed to be a culmination of years of structural imbalances and asymmetrical use. It’s no wonder why simply reaching up caused such severe pain.

A process of Structural Integration allowed deviated spinal patterns and major body segments to come to a better state of balance, the result – pain relief.

Dr. A.T. Still said, “Anyone can find disease, it is the job of the doctor to find health.”  To supplement homeopathic remedies and structural bodywork I give insight, understanding, and homework for the habit patterns that I perceive.  I believe that a client’s participation is the key to good health. Those who can unwind from the grind and schedule time throughout their day for themselves really progress.  Change is coming, medicine is evolving.