Do you feel as if you’ve been shut out of your own life because of your constant back pain? This nagging, excruciating symptom can be caused by a number of underlying causes and it can get worse with time, to the point that you can hardly move! Along with these horrible movement restrictions, you may be wary of putting your back through the risks of major surgery, or putting your body through the threat of addiction with prescription medications.
The good news is that, thanks to physical therapy, you do not need to go to those lengths. A professional physical therapist can pinpoint the cause of the discomfort and build a tailored recovery plan that prevents the use of medication or surgery.
To learn more about how back pain can be remedied by the use of physical therapy, call our physical therapy office in town today for more information.
How does chronic back pain develop?
Back pain seems to affect the majority of people. Low back pain, in particular, affects about one-fifth of adults at some stage in their lives. Many of these problems are linked to acute injuries, such as car crashes, sports injuries, or occupational injuries caused by poor lifting techniques. The pain from these injuries is meant to go away while they recover. Back pain disappears after the baby is born and the body returns to its usual weight and spinal alignment in some situations, such as pregnancy.
Back pain, on the other hand, may often turn into a chronic affliction. Spinal arthritis, spondylolisthesis, and spinal stenosis are examples of disorders that don’t heal on their own, leaving you in chronic or recurring pain.
Repetitive motion injuries and soft tissue strain are two other sources of chronic back pain. Bad workplace or sports ergonomics, poor back muscles that don’t maintain a natural stance, or musculoskeletal anomalies like fallen arches can cause chronic pain in your upper or lower back.
Have you been dreading your chronic back pain operation more than the pain itself? Many back pain sufferers are understandably worried about the possibility of taking a large number of painkillers, which can temporarily relieve their pain while also causing long-term complications.
They may be even more apprehensive about undergoing major spinal surgery, such as vertebral fusion, which may restrict the range of motion even more, prove unsuccessful in treating the pain, or even make it worse.
There is a safer, healthier alternative to these routes of treatment, however: physical therapy.
How physical therapy can help chronic back pain sufferers find relief
The most effective way to treat chronic back pain is to make your back function more naturally, which can be done through physical therapy. From a degenerative disease to sore muscles or an unbalanced body, our physical therapist will identify the source of your upper or lower back pain.
A physical therapy program that contains the following elements could be beneficial to you:
- Flexibility exercises to gently and carefully extend your pain-free range of back motion
- Stabilization exercises to help keep your spinal components in place as you perform everyday tasks (from sitting in a chair to getting out of bed)
- Strengthening exercises to help you enjoy better spinal support and maintain a straighter posture
- Alternating cryotherapy and heat therapy to relieve tissue pain and inflammation
- Orthotics to compensate for foot or leg imbalances that are straining your muscles
- Chiropractic adjustments to normalize your spinal alignment and improve spinal joint function
- Lifestyle changes to prevent unnecessary strain due to awkward workplace or sports ergonomics
- Cold laser therapy and/or massage therapy to soothe, warm and relax tight muscles and connective tissues
Are you ready to experience true pain relief?
We know just how debilitating chronic back pain can be. If you’re sick of dealing with this condition day in and day out, know that there are effective pain relief options available to you through physical therapy. Call our clinic today to learn how you can gain control over your chronic back pain by making your back healthier!
Sources:
- Spinal stenosis – Symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinicwww.mayoclinic.org › symptoms-causes › syc-20352961
- https://health.clevelandclinic.org/when-and-how-physical-therapy-can-provide-relief-for-your-low-back-pain/
- https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Fact-Sheets/Low-Back-Pain-Fact-Sheet
