Back Pain - How Frequency Specific Microcurrent (FSM) can help
- Monica Williams
- 4 days ago
- 7 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
Why back pain is more than just a 'Sore Back'
Spinal injuries—whether from lifting, sports, car accidents, or gradual degeneration—can leave people in debilitating pain. Sciatica, nerve compression, and stiffness can limit daily life, and many are told their only options are painkillers, injections, or surgery, none of which are supportive to your health.
But there’s another option—Frequency Specific Microcurrent (FSM). Used by practitioners around the world, FSM offers a non-invasive, drug-free, and deeply effective way to address disc problems by targeting inflammation and encouraging tissue repair at the cellular level.
CAUSES OF BACK PAIN
Spinal pain often arises from a combination of disc damage releasing PLA2—a chemical that inflames and irritates nerves like battery acid—and facet joint dysfunction, which together create a cycle of inflammation, mechanical stress, and nerve sensitisation that amplifies pain and delays healing.
Spinal Disc Injuries
Your spine is made up of vertebrae cushioned by discs—gel-like pads that act as shock absorbers. When a disc bulges, herniates, or degenerates, it can press on surrounding nerves or the spinal cord itself. This causes symptoms like:
Pain radiating down the legs (sciatica)
Numbness or tingling
Muscle weakness
Reduced mobility
WHAT ARE THE KEY SYMPTOMS OF DISC RELATED PAIN?
Localised Pain
Pain in the neck, upper back, or lower back depending on the location of the injured disc.
Often worsens with movement, prolonged sitting, bending, or lifting.
Radiating Pain
Pain that travels down the arms (if the cervical spine is involved) or legs (common in lumbar spine injuries, referred to as sciatica).
Often described as sharp, burning, or electric-like pain.
Numbness and Tingling
A “pins and needles” sensation in the hands, fingers, feet, or toes.
Indicates nerve compression from disc protrusion or inflammation.
Muscle Weakness
Difficulty lifting objects, gripping, walking, or standing on your toes or heels.
Indicates interference with motor nerves supplying those muscles.
Reflex Changes
Reduced or absent reflexes in affected limbs.
Detected during neurological exams and used to assess nerve function.
Reduced Range of Motion
Stiffness in the back or neck.
Difficulty bending, twisting, or moving freely.
Postural Shifts or Guarding
Leaning to one side or adopting unusual postures to avoid pain.
May walk with a limp or appear hunched due to discomfort.
Facet Joint Injuries
The facet joint is a small, stabilising joint located at the back of each vertebra that guides and supports spinal movement while helping to bear the load of the body.
Facet joint injuries can come before disc injuries, especially in the lower back and neck, increasing the pressure on the joint and predisposing to disc injury. Facet joint injuries can cause a range of symptoms depending on which part of the spine is affected (neck, mid-back, or lower back). Facet related pain tends to cause:
WHAT ARE THE KEY SYMPTOMS OF FACET JOINT RELATED PAIN?
Localised Pain
Sharp or aching pain in the neck, mid-back, or lower back.
Often worse with extension (leaning backward) or twisting motions.
Stiffness and Reduced Range of Motion
Difficulty turning your head, bending sideways, or rotating your torso.
Stiffness is often worst in the morning or after periods of rest.
Pain with Certain Movements or Postures
Pain may increase when standing for long periods, arching the back, or moving from sitting to standing.
Relieved by rest or flexing the spine forward.
Referred Pain
Pain may radiate into the shoulders, upper back, buttocks, or thighs, but typically doesn’t travel below the knee (unlike sciatica from disc injury).
Can mimic muscular pain or be mistaken for hip or rib problems.
Muscle Spasms
Surrounding muscles may tighten in response to joint inflammation, creating a feeling of guarding or restriction.
Tenderness Over the Joint
Pressing directly over the affected facet joints may cause localised tenderness.
Disc Injuries: A Hidden Source of Inflammation and Nerve Pain
When a disc is injured—especially in cases of herniation or perforation—it's not just the mechanical pressure on nerves that causes pain. The disc material itself contains a powerful inflammatory enzyme called phospholipase A2 (PLA2).
When this substance leaks out of a torn or ruptured disc, it spreads into nearby tissues and nerve roots. PLA2 acts like chemical battery acid—it dissolves cell membranes, triggers a massive inflammatory response, and irritates or even damages nerves on contact.
This is one of the key reasons why even a small disc leak can create intense, radiating pain, burning, numbness, or weakness—even without visible compression on scans.
When we us FSM for disc bulges or perferations, we seek as a priority to neutralise inflammation caused by PLA2 and reduce its destructive effects
Addressing both the chemical and structural damage, FSM helps to relieve pain faster while encouraging true healing of the nerves and surrounding tissues—something that is hard to do without these targeted frequencies applied in a gentle non-irritating way.
Don't Wait for a Breakdown:
Treat Early Back Pain
Facet joint inflammation or degeneration is often the first point of change in the initiating process of chronic back pain, long before a disc bulge and severe spinal pain begins. Together, they can significantly affect movement, posture, and daily life. If you have stiffness on movement or a 'weak spot' in your back, it is far easier to treat facet pain before the disc becomes involved. Don't ignore back pain in the early stages. The longer irritation to the facet joints go on, the greater the risk of a more severe issue, like a disc bulge, perforation, or joint degeneration becomes.
Chronic degeneration is harder to manage as you get older. If back problems are bothering you while you're as young as you'll ever be, best get onto it. Back problems tend to lead into hip, knee and ankle problems, the aging process is not going to be so fun if mobility is compromised by pain and degeneration. It is always best to treat these things early, at the first sign, and not wait till you can't ignore it even if you wanted to, there is much at stake.
When Back Pain Takes Over:
How Spinal Injury Disrupts Your Entire Life
Spinal pain can become disruptive to all aspects of everyday functioning if it is left too long to treat. The cascade of physical, emotional, and social consequences can really hijak your life.
Physical Impacts
Limited mobility and difficulty performing basic tasks like dressing, driving, cooking, or exercising.
Muscle imbalances and loss of strength due to compensation and disuse.
Increased risk of falls or further injury from instability or weakness.
Work Limitations
Inability to perform physically demanding tasks.
Reduced ability to sit, stand, or concentrate due to persistent pain.
Missed workdays and potential loss of income or career setbacks.
Inability to drive and get around.
Sleep Disruption
Pain while lying down, turning, or changing positions.
Interrupted or non-restorative sleep, leading to fatigue and irritability.
Emotional and Psychological Effects
Chronic pain can lead to frustration, sadness, irritability, or depression.
Fear of movement (kinesiophobia) and anxiety about re-injury.
Feelings of helplessness or isolation due to reduced independence.
Impact on Relationships and Social Life
Withdrawal from activities, hobbies, and social events.
Strain on relationships due to mood changes or need for support.
Feelings of guilt over dependence on caregivers or family or friends for support.
Depression and despair if care is not available.
How Long Does It Take to Heal a Spinal Injury?
Conventional Healing Time
Mild spinal issues—such as facet joint irritation or small disc bulges—can often improve within 6 to 12 weeks with rest, physiotherapy, and anti-inflammatory treatment.
However, more complex injuries like moderate to severe disc herniations, chronic facet degeneration, or nerve root inflammation may take 3 to 6 months or longer to resolve—especially when complicated by:
Scar tissue (fibrosis)
Muscle compensation patterns
Ongoing inflammation
Delayed or incomplete healing
In many chronic cases, pain becomes long-term because inflammation and nerve sensitisation are never fully resolved, creating a feedback loop that keeps the spine stuck in a cycle of irritation and re-injury.
Healing Times with FSM
Frequency Specific Microcurrent (FSM) is used to address all layers of injury at once—including:
Inflammation (40 Hz)
Ligament and disc tissue repair (124 Hz, 77 Hz)
Nerve irritation (396 Hz, 10 Hz)
Scar tissue and fibrosis (13 Hz, 51 Hz)
Muscle spasm and postural adaptation (29 Hz)
Emotional trauma or nervous system sensitization (970 Hz, 321 Hz)
Clients often report substantial improvement in pain and function within 3 to 6 sessions, and accelerated tissue-level healing over 4 to 8 weeks.
Why FSM Speeds Recovery
Unlike conventional care, FSM:
Directly targets the biological processes of repair (inflammation, fibrosis, trauma).
Treats the spinal cord, nerves, discs, facets, muscles and fascia simultaneously, reducing compensatory patterns and nerve sensitisation.
Halts the feed-back-feed-forward inflammatory loop to support better healing.
Is adapted to the individual which means it supports both initial healing and long-term restoration.
In practice: healing timelines vary depending on severity and chronicity, but many clients report quicker relief and more complete recovery with FSM compared to standard care alone.
Book a Free 15 Minute Consultation with Monica
If you or a family member is experiencing mild to severe back pain, contact Monica to discuss whether Frequency Specific Microcurrent (FSM) therapy could support your recovery.
Based in Maroochydore on the Sunshine Coast, Monica offers one of Australia’s most specialised Frequency Specific Microcurrent (FSM) clinics. While most practitioners use FSM alongside other therapies, Monica focuses solely on microcurrent treatment—this is her full-time clinical specialty. She operates with seven FSM machines (compared to the typical 1–3), and integrates Avazzia and Bicom Bioresonance where needed to optimise results.
Clients travel from Sydney, Melbourne, and across regional Australia to see Monica—one of the country’s most experienced and dedicated FSM practitioners. With deep clinical insight, cutting-edge technology, and an unwavering focus on individual care, Monica brings precision and heart to every treatment session.
Book in for a free 15-minute consultation by following the link below.
