We refer to a pain being acute when the level of pain is higher and that the complaint occurred recently within the last few days. When a trauma or an injury happens (ex: lifting something heavy and the back "goes"), the normal body's reaction is for the muscles to react and spasm and to increase the level of inflammation in the injured area in order to induce healing. However, this natural body defence mechanism can be very painful and feel uncomfortable on top of the actual complaint. Sometimes some acute pain can just last a couple of days and disappear but others can last for a while which is always best to be seen by a professional to make sure that there's nothing more sinister happening than could reoccur in the future or not heal properly.
How can Osteopathy help?
The Osteopath will conduct some tests in order to examine the patient and figure out which structures are causing pain. Osteopathy is gentle and when a patient comes in with acute pain, osteopaths adapt their techniques to suit the level of pain of the patient. If the Osteopath believes that an injury is severe and is a red flag (medical emergency), then the osteopath will refer for further investigation either back to the GP, a specialist or the emergency department. At the practice we offer home visits for patients that are unable to make it to the practice if the pain is too acute. If you are unsure, you can contact us to see how we can help you best
