What I Wish I’d Known Earlier About Chronic Back Pain
At 17 years old, I had my first back surgery after a horseback riding accident herniated a disc in my back.
At the time, I thought the problem was simply structural.
And to be fair, part of it was.
Years of horseback riding, running with poor form, and lifting heavy items at the barn eventually made my pain unbearable. After surgery, my surgeon warned me that if I continued running and riding, I would likely need another surgery within 10 years.
Nine years later, I did.
I underwent a spinal fusion at the same level. I spent months in a back brace (pictured above), went through physical therapy, swam, walked, and slowly worked to heal. Then came another setback: the hardware from my fusion loosened and had to be removed during a third surgery.
A few years later, I was involved in a rollover car accident that changed everything again.
I herniated multiple discs throughout my spine and suffered a compression fracture in my back. I lived in constant pain. I struggled to lift my 2-year-old. I relied heavily on NSAIDs just to get through the day. Even after starting strength training again, I could never lift weights two days in a row because my back would flare up so badly.
For years, I focused almost entirely on the structure of my spine.
I was worried about what my future would look like 20, 30, 40 years down the road. Would I end up in a wheelchair unable to complete daily tasks if I was already in this much pain?
What I didn’t realize was how much inflammation was influencing my pain levels.
That realization changed everything.
Over time, I started learning how factors like food, blood sugar balance, sleep, stress, and strength training affected the way my body felt day to day.
I learned that certain foods were creating inflammation in my body. I learned that blood sugar crashes often led to increased pain. I learned that poor sleep and high stress made my body feel significantly worse. And I learned that strength training and core stability helped support my spine in ways I hadn’t fully understood before.
None of these things “fixed” my spine.
But they changed how my body functioned and responded.
Today, I still have herniated discs.
But I rarely experience the level of pain I once lived with daily.
That’s one of the reasons I became interested in functional nutrition and root-cause health approaches in the first place. Sometimes the body is giving us clues that go far beyond the original injury itself.
Some of the biggest things I wish I’d understood sooner to manage my pain:
The importance of reducing chronic inflammation
How blood sugar swings can impact pain and energy
Why sleep matters so much for recovery
The role strength training plays in supporting the body
How stress affects physical symptoms
The importance of movement, mobility, and balance
Healing isn’t always about finding one magic solution.
Sometimes it’s about learning how to better support your body consistently over time.
And sometimes the “missing pieces” are the ones no one ever taught you to look for.
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 Counselor who helps individuals understand their bodies and pursue sustainable, root-cause healing. She guides clients in making sense of their symptoms and identifying the deeper factors influencing their health. Her own recovery from chronic pain through functional nutrition strengthened her belief in the power of personalized lifestyle changes. As a mom of three in competitive travel sports, she focuses on simple, realistic habits that help people boost energy, improve digestion, reduce inflammation, and feel confident in their ability to thrive.
