Back pain can be:
- Acute, lasting less than 3 months. Most people gain relief
after 4 to 6 weeks of home treatment.
- Recurrent, a repeat episode of acute symptoms. Most people
have at least one episode of recurrent low back pain.
- Chronic, lasting longer than 3 months.
Developing a
Program That’s Right for You:
Information is readily available on the way to stop back pain. The challenge
is to tailor it to the particular patient. For example, it’s often
said that swimming is good for the back. But which stroke? And
how often?
Strengthening the abdominal muscles is also commonly ordered for low back
pain. But how is this done? And are you exercising the right way
for your back injury?
What Kinds of
Problems Might Cause Low Back Pain?
Treatment for any back condition is
recommended as soon as possible to minimize the danger of further
aggravation. The following is a list of only some of the conditions that
may cause low back pain and is not a substitute for a visit to your doctor:
Radiculopathy
A pinched nerve, also called sciatica, usually from a herniated,
or slipped, disk. This causes pain down the leg that’s often described as an
electrical feeling.
Myofascial Pain: Generally an aching pain in
muscles that to be associated with poor posture, sitting at a computer or
other job-related tasks. With myofascial back pain the patients can become sore in different parts of the
body like the back and legs. Often patients report they have difficulty
sleeping or feeling restored from sleep.
Spinal Stenosis: A narrowing of the nerve openings either
around the spinal cord or nerve roots that can cause symptoms similar to a
pinched nerve. It can cause leg pain in anyone, but most often does so
in older people. Patients with spinal stenosis can have trouble
walking, and the difficulty is usually relieved by sitting down or bending
forward. It can cause aching or heaviness in the the back and legs.
Tendon, Ligament
and Soft Tissue Pain: Localized pain when
an area is stretched or its muscles are overused. This results in
tenderness.
Non-Spinal
Instability: Increased motion vertebra
usually resulting from an injury. The pain typically feels like tingling in
the back or arms.
Non-Spinal Causes
of Lower Back Pain: Pain imitating a
back
injury, but from another cause. Appendicitis, kidney disease, uterine
disorders and urinary tract infections are a few examples of problems that
can refer pain to the back.
TREATMENT
OPTIONS:
The rehabilitation of low back injuries occurs in
three phases. During the first phase, called the acute phase, Physiatrists
treat pain and inflammation. After they make a specific diagnosis and
develop a treatment plan, Physiatrists may offer treatment options like
ultrasound, electrical stimulation: mobilization, medication, ice and even
specialized injections.
In the second, or recovery, phase of
treatment, flexibility and strength are developed to get the body parts into
their proper positions. The goal of this phase is to get you back to your
usual work, sports and leisure activities. This goal is achieved through
specially designed exercises that rebuild the body.
The main goal of the third phase of
treatment, the maintenance phase, is to minimize recurrence of the problem
and to prevent further injury. This often consists of a total body fitness
program, designed to maintain body mechanics and increase endurance after
the original symptoms have resolved.
These are very broad and general approaches
to the treatment of back pain. The Physiatrist that you choose will develop
an individual treatment plan for you.
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