Conditions Cottleville, MO

Low back pain

The ache across the low back after lifting, sitting or standing too long — sorting the common causes, and what helps.

The short answer

Most low back pain is mechanical: the joints, discs and muscles of the low back are irritated rather than damaged, and it often settles with the right movement. Which movements help depends on your pattern — some backs dislike arching, others dislike bending and sitting. An assessment works out your direction and what's loading your back.

Common signs

An ache across the low back, or to one side of it
Stiffness on getting up in the morning or after sitting
Pain on arching back, standing or walking — or on bending forward and sitting
A back that 'goes' every few months after lifting or yard work

What it usually is

Facet joints. The small joints at the back of the spine often complain when you arch back, stand or walk, and ease when you sit. Facet joint syndrome →
Discs. Disc-related pain more often dislikes bending forward and sitting, and can travel into a leg. Most disc flares settle without surgery. What a 'slipped disc' actually is →
The SI joint. Pain that sits low and to one side, near the dimple at the back of the pelvis, often involves the sacroiliac joint. SI joint dysfunction →
Load and recovery. Lifting, long drives and long shifts load the back faster than it adapts. The fix is usually how you load it, not avoiding load. Lifting through low back pain →

Check yours

Five questions on which movements provoke your pain and which ease it. Your direction is one of the most useful things to know about a sore back.

Extension vs. flexion screen

Which movements provoke your pain? Find your directional pattern.

This is an educational screen, not a diagnosis — but it points you in the right direction.

1 / 5

What you can try today

Keep gently moving. For most everyday back pain, short walks help more than bed rest.
Notice which feels better after ten minutes — sitting or walking. That's your direction.
Break up sitting every 30–60 minutes, and keep loads close to your body when you lift.
On your side, put a pillow between your knees; on your back, one under them.

How it’s assessed and treated here

The 40-minute assessment tests how your back, hips and mid-back move, which direction your pain prefers, and what's loading it — work, training, sleep, driving. You leave with a plan and an honest timeline.

Care typically combines precision adjustments, soft-tissue work and two or three corrective exercises matched to your direction. Where a pinched nerve is involved, spinal decompression is available.

Often part of the plan: Precision Spinal Adjustments, Pin & Stretch, Cupping & Scraping, Corrective Exercise Programming and Spinal decompression.

The initial assessment is $149 and runs about 40 minutes. Follow-up visits are $60 and include the adjustment, soft-tissue work and corrective exercise your plan calls for that day. We don’t bill insurance; HSA and FSA cards are accepted. Compare it with your insurance →

This page explains what's common, not what's going on with you. Always talk it through with your doctor, or book an assessment with Dr. Hailey to find out what's going on.

Questions people ask

Should I rest or keep moving with low back pain?

For most everyday low back pain, staying gently active tends to help more than complete rest. Which movements to lean on depends on your pattern — the screen on this page is a good starting point.

Do I need an X-ray or MRI first?

Most low back pain doesn't need imaging to start care, and imaging often shows changes that aren't the cause of pain. If your history or exam suggests imaging would change the plan, we'll talk it through with you.

How many visits will I need?

It depends on what's driving your pain and how long it's been going. A focused plan is often 3–8 visits; we'll give you a specific estimate after the assessment, and the cost calculator shows what that runs.

What does it cost?

The initial assessment is $149 (40 minutes); follow-ups are $60 and include the adjustment, soft-tissue work and exercise your plan needs that day. HSA and FSA accepted.

Before you book

40 minutes: History, a movement and posture screen, an exam, and hands-on treatment the same visit.
$149 flat: Cash-based with posted prices. HSA and FSA cards accepted; insurance isn't billed directly.
No referral: Book online or call 636.378.0969. Same-week appointments are usually available.

Low back pain — Cottleville, O'Fallon, St. Peters & Wentzville

Find out what’s behind yours.

Book an assessment with Dr. Hailey — $149