Nonsurgical Treatments
Physical therapy is one of the main stays for treatment of low back pain and neck pain. Physical therapy typically involves educating the patients in order to stretch, strengthen and rehabilitate their neck or back in an effective manner. Therapists typically instruct the patients on proper body mechanics and offer not only exercises but other treatment options, including ultrasound heat, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), hydrotherapy, massage or spinal manipulation. Physical therapists will typically do a thorough evaluation and, based on their evaluation and the physician’s recommendations, begin specific exercises tailored toward the patient’s complaints. Physical therapy can be used to treat not only back pain but also leg pain, secondary to spinal stenosis and/or disc herniation. It can also be used to treat neck pain and pain in the upper extremities.
Exercise plays a very important part in not only the roll of recovery of back pain but also in having a healthy back. When patients develop or have an episode of severe back pain and/or neck pain they become less active. In general, their back muscles and/or neck muscles can become weaker and have less endurance capacity. The back and/or neck can in general feel more fatigued. In general, physical therapy and daily exercise can help to strengthen your back and/or neck muscles and allow you to return to most activities of daily living and improve your quality of life. Physical therapy and regular exercise not only help with physical aspects of chronic low back and neck pain but also the associated psychosocial components involved with both of these chronic conditions.
Patients who initially have severe pain can benefit from treatment options including the ultrasound heat, electric stimulation and massage. Once their degree of severe pain calms down then exercises typically are used to provide longer lasting therapeutic effects. Patients are typically encouraged to continue doing their exercises on a daily basis and to gradually increase their activities.