If you're dealing with chronic back pain, chances are you've spent a lot of time thinking about your spine.
I know I did.
My own back-pain journey began when I was 17 years old. Over the next several years, I went through three back surgeries, including a spinal fusion that ultimately failed. Two years after my final surgery, I was in a rollover car accident that injured my spine again.
For a long time, it made sense that so much of the attention was on my back itself.
What did the MRI show? Which disc was injured? What movement made the pain worse? Did I need another procedure? Was something structurally wrong?
Those questions can absolutely matter.
But over the course of more than 20 years of navigating injuries, setbacks and recoveries, I've learned something else:
My back doesn't exist independently of the rest of me.
And neither does yours.
That doesn't mean your pain isn't real or that a structural problem with your spine should be ignored. It means that when back pain keeps coming back, there may be value in zooming out and looking at what else is happening in your body and your life.
Here are five areas worth considering.
1. How Are You Sleeping?
Sleep is one of the body's most important opportunities for recovery.
When you're in pain, though, sleep can become difficult. And when you're not sleeping well, dealing with pain can become even harder.
That can create a frustrating cycle: pain disrupts sleep, and inadequate sleep may make pain feel more difficult to manage.
Rather than thinking only about the number of hours you spend in bed, consider your overall sleep habits.
Are you getting enough sleep consistently? Do you wake feeling rested? Are you maintaining a relatively consistent sleep schedule? Is pain regularly waking you during the night?
Sleep may not be the reason your back hurts, but it's an important piece of the recovery picture that shouldn't automatically be overlooked.
2. What Is Your Stress Load?
We've all experienced the physical effects of stress.
Your shoulders creep toward your ears. Your jaw tightens. Your breathing changes. Your muscles tense.
Stress doesn't mean that your back pain is "all in your head." Pain is a real experience, and stress is one of many factors that can influence how our bodies respond to it.
This is why I encourage people with chronic back pain to consider not only what's happening physically, but also what else their bodies may be carrying.
Have you been under unusually high stress? Do you have opportunities during your day to slow down and recover? Are you constantly operating in go-go-go mode?
Sometimes supporting the body means looking beyond exercise and nutrition and recognizing the load we're carrying outside the gym or physical therapy office.
3. Are You Giving Your Body the Nutrition It Needs?
Food isn't a magic treatment for back pain.
But the foods we eat provide the protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients our bodies rely on every day.
Rather than searching for one "anti-inflammatory" food or eliminating entire categories of foods because someone on social media told you to, I prefer to look at the bigger picture.
Are you eating enough protein? Are you regularly eating fruits and vegetables? Are you getting adequate fiber? Are you eating a variety of nutrient-dense foods? Are there obvious gaps in your diet?
Nutrition is one piece of supporting the whole person, not a replacement for appropriate medical care.
4. How Are You Moving?
After you've experienced significant back pain, movement can become scary.
I've experienced that myself.
When you've learned that one seemingly insignificant movement can result in tremendous pain, it's understandable to become cautious about what your body can handle.
After one of my surgeries, my goal was simply to walk a little farther each day. There was a line of trees along my route, and I would try to make it one tree farther than I had the day before.
Some days I could.
Some days I couldn't.
Over time, those small efforts added up.
Your version of movement may look completely different from mine, and what is appropriate will depend on your individual condition and guidance from your healthcare team.
The goal isn't to force your body through pain. It's to consider whether appropriate, tolerable movement has a place in supporting your overall health and recovery.
5. Are You Allowing Enough Time for Recovery?
We live in a world that loves a quick fix.
Recovery doesn't always cooperate.
One of the things I recently said while sharing my story on the Through the Sh#t podcast was:
“The comeback isn't glamorous.”
I've learned that repeatedly.
Recovery has rarely been a straight line for me. There have been good days followed by painful days. There have been periods when I felt incredibly strong and others when I wondered whether I'd set myself back.
Sometimes progress looks less like a dramatic comeback and more like consistently doing the small things that support your body, even when the results aren't immediate.
Looking Beyond the Spine Doesn't Mean Ignoring the Spine
This distinction is important.
Looking at sleep, stress, nutrition, movement and recovery doesn't mean that structural problems don't matter.
I've had very real structural injuries to my own spine. I've needed surgeries and medical care. I've worked with physical therapists and other healthcare professionals throughout my journey.
Looking beyond the spine isn't about ignoring what's happening in your back. It's about recognizing that your back is one part of a whole person.
That's the perspective I wish I had understood much earlier in my own journey and it's a perspective that now influences the work I do as a Certified Functional Nutrition Coach.
If your back pain keeps coming back, consider asking yourself:
What might I be overlooking because I've been focused exclusively on my back?
You may find there are additional areas where you can begin supporting your overall health, one small, consistent step at a time.
Want to Hear More of My Story?
I recently joined Jen McDowell on Through the Sh#t to talk about my journey through three back surgeries, a failed spinal fusion, a rollover car accident, setbacks, recovery, and what those experiences have taught me along the way.
🎙️ When Your Body Becomes the Thing You Can't Ignore
[LISTEN TO THE EPISODE ON APPLE PODCASTS]
[WATCH THE EPISODE ON YOUTUBE]
Ready to Look Beyond the Spine?
If you've been dealing with chronic back pain and feel like you've focused on your back without looking at the bigger picture, let’s talk:
[Learn More About Working With Me]
Not ready for one-on-one coaching? Start with my free guide, 7 Unexpected Reasons Your Back Pain Keeps Flaring Up (and remember - every tip in this guide addresses your foundational health, which will have lasting effects on your whole body).
If this resonates with you, follow along on Instagram at @alera_functional_health where I share more root-cause health and inflammation support strategies.
If you’d like a personalized plan that fits your life and helps you feel your best, I’m here to help. Interested in learning more about how you can optimize your health and finally find relief from your symptoms? Schedule a free Discovery Call with me by clicking here.
About The Author
Erin Briley is a Certified Functional Nutrition Coach and founder of Alera Functional Health. She helps people with recurring back pain look beyond the spine to identify often-overlooked factors that may be influencing how they feel, including nutrition, sleep, stress, digestion, inflammation, and recovery.
After experiencing years of chronic back pain, multiple surgeries, and a failed spinal fusion herself, Erin understands how frustrating it can be when pain continues to interfere with the things you want to do. Her approach focuses on practical, sustainable changes that support the whole body and help clients better understand their individual patterns, so they can spend less time organizing their lives around back pain.
