Back Pain Treatment
Assessment-led treatment for acute and long-standing back pain — fix the cause, not just the ache.
Most back pain is mechanical: muscles, joints and discs complaining about loads they were not prepared for — long sitting at a desk, a jolting two-wheeler commute, lifting a gas cylinder with a rounded spine, or hours of floor sitting the hips are no longer flexible enough for. That is actually good news, because mechanical pain responds to mechanical treatment: restoring movement to stiff segments, building endurance in the muscles that guard the spine, and changing the daily habits that keep re-triggering it. Painkillers mute the alarm; physiotherapy addresses why the alarm keeps ringing.
At MBM Physiotherapy, treatment starts with a structured assessment by Dr. Sushma Singh (PT) to sort your pain into a pattern — is it worse with bending or with standing, does it centralise or spread down the leg — because each pattern needs a different set of exercises and hands-on techniques. You get a personalised plan and a home programme from the first week, since the thirty minutes you spend in the clinic matter less than what your spine does the other twenty-three and a half hours.
Who should consider this
- Lower back ache after long hours at a desk or driving, which eases on moving about
- A sudden "catch" in the back after lifting, sneezing or an awkward twist
- Back pain that returns every few months despite getting better in between
- Stiffness on waking that takes more than half an hour to loosen
- Pain that spreads into the buttock or thigh without true leg weakness
- Back pain during or after pregnancy, once your doctor has cleared exercise
- People told they have "early spondylosis" or disc bulge on a scan and left unsure what to actually do
Before your first session
No special preparation needed
- Wear loose clothing that lets you bend and lie down comfortably; women may prefer a long t-shirt over leggings
- Bring any MRI or X-ray films and reports, plus prescriptions from doctors you have already seen
- Bring a list of your regular medicines, including any painkillers you are currently taking
- Note what makes the pain clearly better or worse — sitting, standing, walking, coughing — as this shapes the diagnosis
- Avoid taking an extra painkiller just before the visit if you can manage; masking the pain can blur the assessment
What happens during treatment
The first session maps your pain precisely: history, then movement testing — bending forward, backward and sideways while Dr. Singh watches which direction provokes and which relieves — plus strength, nerve and hip checks, because hips and hamstrings are frequent hidden contributors. Treatment on day one typically combines gentle hands-on mobilisation of stiff joints, positioning that eases the pain, and two or three specific exercises matched to your pattern rather than a generic back-pain sheet. You will also get straight answers about your scan report if you bring one, including which findings are age-normal and which actually explain your pain.
Sessions and timeline
Honest timelines: a fresh mechanical strain usually settles substantially in two to six weeks; pain that has been present for months takes longer, often eight to twelve weeks of consistent work, because the goal shifts from calming pain to rebuilding endurance and confidence. Sessions typically run two to three times a week initially, spacing out as your home programme takes over — the exact number depends on what the assessment finds, and you will be told the estimate at the first visit rather than being kept coming indefinitely. One red flag to know before booking: back pain with new bladder or bowel changes, numbness in the saddle area, or progressive weakness in a leg needs an emergency department first, not physiotherapy.
What it costs
What you spend depends on the number of sessions your back genuinely needs — a recent strain needs far fewer than a year-old recurring problem — and on the split between the first detailed assessment and shorter follow-up visits. There are no machines-for-the-sake-of-machines add-ons; treatment is matched to the assessment.
Call +91 11 4119 4668 for today’s rate — it takes a minute and there are no surprise charges. If a course of sessions is recommended, ask about block booking; a planned course usually costs less per session than paying one visit at a time.
Common questions
My MRI shows a disc bulge. Does that mean physiotherapy won’t work?
No. Disc bulges are common on scans of people with no pain at all, and most painful bulges improve with conservative treatment — the body gradually resorbs disc material over months. Physiotherapy works on the movement patterns and muscle support around the disc. Surgery is reserved for a small minority, mainly those with progressive nerve damage.
Should I rest in bed until the pain goes?
Beyond the first day or two, no. Prolonged bed rest weakens the very muscles that protect your spine and is consistently linked with slower recovery. The aim is relative rest — avoid the movements that sharply provoke pain, keep everything else moving, and let graded exercise rebuild tolerance.
Is heat or ice better for back pain?
For most non-injury back pain, heat tends to feel better because it relaxes guarded muscles and improves local blood flow — a hot water bag for 15–20 minutes is the common Indian household version, and a heating pad does the same job. Ice suits the first day or two after a distinct injury. Neither treats the cause; both buy comfort for exercise.
How many sessions will I need?
It depends on the assessment — typically anywhere from four to six sessions for a recent simple strain to twelve or more spread over two to three months for long-standing pain. Dr. Singh gives you an estimate at the first visit and re-checks progress against measured baselines, so the plan shortens if you improve faster.
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