Complementary and Alternative Therapy for Low Back Pain

Abstract

Low back pain is the second most common reason people seek medical care in industrial countries (Quinn, 2006). A significant number of people have been turning to complementary and alternative therapy to treat their low back pain, making low back pain sufferers among the most frequent users of complementary and alternative therapies (Quinn, 2006). This study, using a phenomenological method, is an exploration of the lived experience of three people who have used complementary and/or alternative therapy to treat low back pain. Qualitative phenomenological methodology was utilized to explore the lived experience of three individuals with low back pain. Giorgi’s analysis was used to generate themes (Russell, 1999). The themes of this study are changing temperament, seeking pain relief, limiting activities, fearing further injury and adjusting roles. These findings may help health care providers understand the experience of individuals with low back pain and the journey of seeking pain relief through treatment with complementary and alternative therapies. These results, although they describe a large-scale problem, are applicable to this study.