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Tamara Watkins was in her late twenties when she started to get severe back pain and headaches.

The young mother-of-three went to her GP, who ordered an x-ray, but the image showed nothing unusual.

Unsure what was wrong, her GP referred her to an osteopath in the hope that regular massage sessions would help her get on top of the chronic pain.

But Watkins' symptoms just kept getting worse.

"I remember going to the osteo and being on her table and just vomiting uncontrollably," Watkins told 9news.com.au.

"I was getting extreme headaches and tingling down my arm and into my leg."

Just turning her neck could induce sudden feelings of nausea, Watkins said.

Concerned, Watkins' osteopath pushed her to get more tests done.

An MRI revealed the cause of her debilitating pain - a bone spur on her spine brought on by osteoarthritis.

"It looked like a bird's beak and it was growing into my spine," she said.

"If it hadn't been picked up it could have resulted in more permanent damage."

Watkins needed high-risk surgery to remove the spur and replace a crushed disc.

"It took three years to find a surgeon that would operate," she said.

Doctors also gave Watkins some confronting news.

"The saddest part was when the doctors advised me against having any more children because of my condition," she said.

Watkins said she was also shocked to be diagnosed with arthritis at the age of 28.

"I didn't actually think of it as arthritis, because when you think of arthritis you think of 80 year-old-men who are crippled with it.

"I didn't really put myself into that category."

Watkins, who is now 46, went on to have a successful surgery.

She also defied the odds by having another healthy child, who is now six years old.

While she still experiences some pain due to her osteoarthritis, Watkins said the symptoms had become manageable with the help of regular treatments with her osteopath.

Data from the 2021 Census shows that about 2.2 million Australians are now living with arthritis.

This makes arthritis the second-most common long-term health condition, after issues relating to mental health.

Almost one in five Aussies said their pain would have to be so bad that they were unable to move before seeking the help of a health professional.

Osteopathy Australia president Dr Michelle Funder said it was a misconception that having arthritis meant you had to suffer through severe pain.

"Although there is no cure for arthritis, osteopathy may help to reduce pain, ease swelling and improve mobility and range of joint movement," Funder said.

"Early diagnosis and improving a person's lifestyle are key to preventing further degeneration, and to help them perform daily activities more easily."

Contact reporter Emily McPherson at empcherson@nine.com.au.

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Tamara was just 28 when she was diagnosed with a condition affecting 2.2 million Australians - 9News

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