Having not yet turned out for Munster in the RaboDirect PRO12 however, O'Connell is solely focused on returning for the province, admitting his chances of touring Australia with the Lions are slim.
"Everyone has a story about a back injury in their family," O'Connell, who captained the Lions in 2009 in South Africa, told the Irish Independent.
"I've had everything offered to me from magnets to various drinks to every kind of a 'cure' for it. It's nice that people are concerned but sometimes that can add to the frustration of not playing.
"If I was back for some part of the Six Nations it would be a bonus, but I don't think it's going to happen. It's looking like sometime in April for a return, and hopefully in early April. What is positive is that playing again is not going to be an issue.
"You never rule it out but it is going to be very difficult. You would imagine the Lions squad is going to be picked on the Six Nations, so it is going to be very difficult to make it on that trip.
"I've just got to get playing and see what happens and try to get on some tour in the summer, be it with Ireland or the Lions."
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