What Can Physical Therapy do for Your Back and Neck Pain

Common types of back pain

Pain in the back differs from person to person. This is because the area where the pain originates, the intensity it reaches and the symptoms vary from person to person. However, depending on the most common types, back pain has been categorized into three main categories

Axial pain

Axial pain is one of the most common types of pain and is often the consequence of a muscle strain. This pain can be sharp, dull, constant or chronic.

Referred pain

Often described as dull and achy, referred pain tends to spread around and vary in intensity. It generally originates from the lower back into the groin, pelvis, buttock, and upper thigh and is normally caused due to injury in the interconnecting sensory nerves of the lower back.

Radicular pain

Characterized as deep and radiating pain, radicular pain is experienced through arms or legs and is usually accompanied by numbness and tingling or weakness. A general cause for such pain is compression, inflammation or injury to a spinal nerve root.

Common types of neck pain

Neck pain generally involves moderate pain and stiffness in the neck region. It is also often accompanied by mild headaches and tense muscles.

Neck pain generally occurs due to aging of the spine. As the spine ages, the discs can degenerate and herniate leading to neck pains.

There are three types of neck pain:

Axial pain

Axial pain is the name given for pure neck or soft tissue pain. A common example of axial pain is whiplash or muscle strain.

Radiculopathy

Pain in the neck and arm due to nerve root compression is often called Radiculopathy. This pain, many at times cause weakness and numbness to the patient.

Myelopathy

Myelopathy, commonly caused due to spinal cord compression, refers to the pressure on the spinal cord. When a person experiences Myelopathy, he may also experience pain in the arm and leg or weakness and sometimes even problems while walking.

How physical therapy can help?

Reduces pain

Physical therapy, through its range of exercise, provides relief to patients experiencing pain. These exercises, which strengthen the muscle, also stabilize support by generating pressure within the abdomen.

Helps maintain the right posture

Poor posture not only results in the loss of flexibility in muscles but also leads to loss of strength of the scapular muscles, further leading to other problems. Thus, maintaining the right posture is the key to avoid chronic back and neck pain.

Physical therapy through numerous exercises works on improving the posture of the patient. It also helps in strengthening and increasing the flexibility of muscles, and in the process prevents the reoccurrence of pain.

Minimizes future occurrence

Physical therapy not only solves the problem at hand but also aims to educate patients to deter relapses of back and neck pain.

Trains patients in managing exacerbations

Sometimes, no matter how diligent you are, you tend to do activities that are harmful to your back and neck. When such a situation occurs, knowledge acquired during physical therapy will help eliminate symptoms in a couple of days, instead of suffering for weeks or months.

Physical therapy is a field of science that involves blending physiology with exercises to cure patients of any injury or pain sustained. Thus, it is best performed by professionals, who are experienced and trained in the field.

So, if you are experiencing any of the above problems, contact InHome Physical Therapy & Massage to book your physiotherapy consultation.