Have you been suffering from back pain? Is your pain making it difficult, if not impossible, to successfully complete your daily routine? At Austin Manual Therapy, we understand how frustrating this can be. The good news is that back pain does not have to be a part of your life forever. Taking preventive measures, such as working with a physical therapist, can help you achieve long-term relief from back pain. For more information on how physical therapy can help you with your back discomfort, keep reading and contact Austin Manual Therapy in Austin, TX.
The three main types of back pain
There are three main types of back pain:
- Acute Back Pain: The most common type of back pain. This is a temporary pain that goes away in less than three months.
Recurrent Back Pain: When acute back pain goes away for a while but returns on a regular basis, it is known as recurrent back pain. - Chronic Back Pain: If back pain lasts longer than three months without subsiding, it is classified as chronic.
Acute back pain is typically not serious and usually goes away independently. However, recurring and chronic back pain can be signs of more serious health - problems. Back pain can be caused by a variety of physical conditions, including osteoporosis, degenerative disk disease, a herniated disk, fractures, or lumbar spinal stenosis.
What puts me at risk for experiencing back pain?
Age, educational status, psychosocial factors, occupational factors, and obesity are all risk factors for the development of chronic back pain. Low back pain is a very common problem that affects at least 80% of all people at some point in their lives and is the fifth most common reason for doctor visits in the United States.
However, just because this issue is common doesn’t mean you are forced to live with pain. A physical therapist has many therapeutic tools and methods to relieve pain and restore function. When you first visit our physical therapy clinic, you will undergo a comprehensive evaluation so our therapists can uncover the root cause of your pain.
You will be asked to share relevant information from your medical history and complete a physical exam, where you may be asked to perform certain movement patterns and exercises. After your therapist has witnessed any postural imbalances or abnormalities first hand, an individualized treatment plan will be drawn up for you.
The ins and outs of your specialized physical therapy plan will depend on the cause of your back pain. For example, if your back pain developed as the result of an injury, your physical therapist may focus particularly on retraining you on motion patterns to prevent the harmful effects of repetitive strain in the future.
What treatments are available to me in physical therapy?
The initial stages of your physical therapy treatment for back pain will be focused on providing immediate pain relief. Following that, our physical therapists in Austin, TX will broaden your treatment to strengthen your core muscle group with specific therapeutic exercises.
This will improve your strength and range of motion, which helps you avoid re-injuring your spine. Our Austin, TX physical therapists will also teach you how to take care of your spine during daily activities like sitting at a desk or driving.
Your back pain treatment plan will differ depending on your diagnosis, age, weight, physical ability, and other factors. Your treatment plan may include any of the following:
- Education on how to take better care of your back, such as proper methods of lifting, bending, sitting, and sleep positions
- Hot or cold treatments, or electrical stimulation, for pain relief
- Posture work to provide better support for your back
- Stretching and strength-building exercises
- Manual therapy and spinal manipulation to improve joint mobility and relieve tissue pain
When you work with one of our physical therapists, you will learn proper movement strategies and learn how to carry out daily tasks in a manner that will help you avoid recurring pain.
Your physical therapist will closely monitor your progress through your recovery plan. At Austin Manual Therapy, our number one priority is to help alleviate your pain so you can get back to living the life you love.
Ready to say goodbye to back pain? Start physical therapy today!
The key to dealing with back pain is to be proactive. If your pain has lasted longer than three months, it’s very unlikely it will go away on its own. Here’s where physical therapy can help.
At Austin Manual Therapy, our team has the resources to identify why your pain may be happening and treat your symptoms, once and for all. Don’t wait any longer to begin treatment under the guidance of a skilled physical therapist. Contact Austin Manual Therapy today to request an appointment.
Sources:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
