Back injuries have become an all too common situation for Americans over the past several decades. According to the numbers, as much as one-half of all working Americans suffer from back pain every year. Visits to the doctor for back-pain and injury related symptoms are almost as common as trips to the doctor for the yearly cold or flu during the winter. Further, every year, Americans spend more than $50 billion on treatments to help manage their back pain.
Back pain can arise from a wide range of causes that include things like muscle strains, facet or disc joint irritation, sacroiliac dysfunction, and more. Symptoms of these conditions can often be remarkably similar, thus making diagnosis and treatment of back pain a real challenge for many in the healthcare profession.
Physical Therapists are specially trained to diagnose and treat all different kinds of back pain, through the use of a variety of manual therapy techniques, coaching, and therapy in each unique treatment plan. For this reason, physical therapy is one of the most effective means of mitigating back pain and restoring strength to the affected area.
Back pain, regardless of the reason why a person might be experiencing is, can manifest itself in several different ways. The most reported symptoms of back pain include:
Because the spine protects the body’s network of nerves, common symptoms of back pain are not always limited to the back area. It is not uncommon for pain to be felt in other areas of the body, including the legs, buttocks, arms, and chest. Further, because back pain can be so debilitating, it also places the person suffering at higher risk of depression and other illnesses.
Back pain can vary from person to person and may arise due to varying conditions, and in truth, the causes underlying back pain can be equally as diverse. Among the most common causes of back pain are things such as:
Only a physical therapist has the expertise necessary to evaluate your unique condition. They will work to determine the full range of symptoms and causes of the back pain. This gives them the foundation they will need to create a customized treatment plan that’s designed for your unique condition.
There is an endless variety of products, over-the-counter supplements, and prescription drugs promoted on the market to help ease back pain, but these things all come with their own heightened level of risk. Many back-pain products can exacerbate one’s injury if they’re not used properly. Only physical therapy can provide a truly safe and drug-free solution to most back-pain problems.
The reason physical therapy works is because every back-pain assessment begins with a thorough physical examination and review of your medical history and present symptoms. During the assessment, the physical therapist will test your pain threshold, range of motion, strength, and other mitigating factors. Only after this is done will a targeted treatment plan be created. While your plan will be highly individualized, it will usually include a combination of manual therapy techniques, as well as in-clinic and at-home exercises, and training designed to help increase your strength, balance, and flexibility, so your body can recover and avoid re-injury.
You don’t have to live your life harassed by constant back pain. Treatment is available. Get the help you need today by calling us today or click here to schedule a back pain assessment.
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