Have you ever felt frustrated whenever you feel pain in your back? If yes, then you are not the only one. Whatever may be the reason, back pain can cause limitations and hinder us from performing our everyday duties efficiently. It is stated that about 25% of people in the United States report having low back pain within the past three months at any given time.

Suppose your back pain is decreasing your quality of life or causing disability. In that case, you can visit physical therapists who help restore mobility and promote back pain relief, Walpole, MA, through various physical therapy techniques, exercises, and patient education.

Is Your Back Pain Acute or Chronic?

Acute back pain develops suddenly, often due to strains or sprains in the soft tissues of the back, including the muscles, tendons, and ligaments. It does not last longer than six months and can go away when the injury or illness that caused it has healed.

Chronic back pain usually results from an underlying problem that affects the spine and its supporting structures. It continues for months or years even after the injury or illness that caused it has healed, leading to movement limitations and disabilities.

Where Do you Feel Pain in Your Back?

You can feel pain in the upper, middle, or lower back depending on the injury or condition you suffer. Physical therapists analyze your symptoms, intensity, and location of pain to help with back pain relief, Walpole, MA.

If you experience pain in the upper or middle back, also referred to as the thoracic spine, it usually occurs between the base of the neck and the bottom of the rib cage. The symptoms include dull, burning, or sharp pain along with muscle tightness or stiffness. Upper and middle back pain results from

  • Overuse Injuries – Participating in a lot of physical activities than usual such as lifting heavy weights, can strain the muscles, ligaments, or discs of the upper back leading to inflammation and pain.
  • Poor Posture – Texting, sitting in front of a computer screen for a long time without maintaining a proper posture, or leaning to one side more often while driving can place additional pressure on the spine’s bones, discs, muscles, ligaments, and other soft tissues, leading to upper back pain.
  • Trauma – Sudden car accidents or trauma from a fall or sports collision can affect the bones, discs, muscles, ligaments, nerves, or other soft tissues in the spine, leading to pain in the upper or middle back.
  • Osteoarthritis – The wear and tear or breakdown of the cushion-like cartilage in the small facet joints in the spine is spinal arthritis that causes upper or middle back pain.

If you experience pain in the lower back, also referred to as the lumbar spine, it usually occurs anywhere below the ribs and above the legs. Lower back pain results from muscle strain or injury, and the other causes include

 

  • Herniated Disc – A condition that occurs when the inner jelly-like portion of the lumbar disc protrudes through the outer ring, irritating the nearby nerve root and causing inflammation.
  • Degenerative disc disease – An age-related condition that results from breakdown or deterioration of the spinal discs, leading to lower back pain.
  • Spinal Stenosis – A condition resulting from narrowing of the spinal canal that puts pressure on the nerves that travel through the spine, leading to lower back pain.

How Does Physical Therapy Help in Lasting Relief from Back Pain?

Physical therapists diagnose the condition by asking questions about your symptoms and conducting a thorough physical examination to design a customized treatment plan that helps promote back pain relief, Walpole, MA. The treatments include

  • Exercises – Physical therapists develop a specific exercise program that includes stretches, flexibility exercises, core strengthening, and aerobic exercises to improve posture and regain normal mobility in the back muscles.
  • Manual Therapy – It is a hands-on technique utilized by therapists to manipulate the muscles and joints to decrease pain and improve mobility. Spinal manipulation, the most common and effective method used for back pain, is the application of a controlled force to relieve pain. Other manual therapy treatment includes massage therapy that helps with muscle strain.
  • Modalities – Physical therapy modalities are passive methods in which the patients are the recipient of the treatments and do not need to participate actively. Ultrasound and electrical stimulation are the most common pain-relieving methods that help minimize back pain and reduce muscle spasms.
  • Heat/Ice – If you look for immediate homemade treatment for your back pain, then it could be heat or ice therapy. It can be performed with simple heat packs, warm showers, or ice packs that help relieve pain and inflammation in the back.
  • Biofeedback Therapy – It is a non-invasive relaxation method that measures the body processes like muscle tension and displays the results on a computer screen, thus allowing the patients to learn to relax those muscles and helping with back pain relief, Walpole, MA.

 

Final Thoughts

Back pain is a common one but can be treated with the help of physical therapists who analyze the patients’ conditions thoroughly and provide them with an appropriate treatment plan. It includes safe and non-invasive methods that relieve back pain without the need for harmful medications and surgical procedures.