Rehabilitation Medicine & Back Pain

Finding the most effective treatment for back pain isn’t always easy. Many people want to do what they can to avoid the need to pursue surgical interventions to improve their pain. Often, surgery is not required. A medical condition or an injury to the area may bring on neck and back pain. Working with a team of professionals, it may be possible to rehabilitate these areas to minimize any need for extensive, invasive procedures.

What Is the Goal of Rehabilitation?

When a person struggles with back pain, it can impact every part of their life, often putting them at risk for numerous health concerns but also limiting their activity. The goal of rehabilitation is to give them back that ability to function normally. A key component of this process is also to minimize any pain a person experiences without using pain medications that simply mask the problem rather than treat it.

How Does Rehabilitation Begin?

For those battling pain and limited mobility, seeking a team of professionals that can provide rehabilitation support is critical. The rehabilitation process begins with a formal assessment and evaluation of a person’s current condition and limitations. This includes assessing pain, determining where it hurts, and reviewing medical history to gather any information possible.

From this, a doctor or other provider can create a customized treatment plan to address the specific needs of the individual. A short-term plan is often developed to determine if improvements are likely. This type of rehabilitation tends to be fluid, in that it will change as a person progresses or when there is a need for change.

What Types of Rehabilitation May Be Used?

One of the best things about rehabilitation for back pain is that so many options are available to help a patient. Dr. Sean Ataee, MD notes this, saying, “Rehabilitation is not a simple set of exercises or treatments. Rather, it is a number of treatment components, various methods, and a range of resources all designed to work together or individually to provide that patient with help. The goal of the therapist or doctor then is to determine which of these numerous treatments may offer relief and help and apply those to the treatment plan.”

There are numerous types of treatment options available for many people. Here is a look at some of them and how they may work.

Dry needling: This option is used to help reduce muscle tension and spasms. It involves the insertion of very small needles into a particular area. This stimulates the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the area, encouraging healing and relief.

Aquatic therapy: For many people, what cannot be done well outside of water can be done in the water. Aquatic therapy provides an opportunity to build strength and flexibility without the impact of gravity, which often means less pain for the individual.

Soft tissue and joint mobilization: In some cases, it is important for therapists to apply stretching and movement techniques to the tendons and muscles, moving the joints as they do. This is often done with various tools and may provide an individual with significant relief.

Laser therapy: Though it may seem like an advanced therapy, laser therapy is growing in popularity. A laser light penetrates the skin to promote and stimulate the body’s natural ability to heal. There’s no pain and no limitation to what can be improved here.

Negative pressure massage: This therapy works by applying negative pressure to a specific area of the body. The benefit here is that it activates the lymphatic system. This may help the body remove metabolic waste and encourage natural healing in areas of inflammation.

Shockwave therapy: This type of therapy may help with various types of back pain rehabilitation. It aids in delivering a mechanical and physical pulse to the area. This travels through the tissue and, eventually, helps to break down scar tissue. The goal is to promote healing of the area.

Understanding the Cause of Chronic Back Pain

There are numerous potential causes of chronic back pain. Among them are:

• Spinal stenosis: A condition in which there is a narrowing of the spinal canal, which may lead to nerve pain, ranging from moderate to severe.
• Arthritis of the spine: A condition that develops as a thinning of the cartilage inside the spine itself, often creating an aching type of feeling.
• Disc disorders: This may include bulging discs or a herniation, often resulting in painful movement.
• Myofascial pain syndrome: This is a condition in which there is muscle pain and tenderness that is not fully understood.

What Can Be Done?

There are numerous steps that can be taken to provide relief. Rehabilitation may include the use of physical therapy in some individuals, especially to help with retraining the posture or by stretching to improve flexibility. Core strengthening may also help some individuals. Some people may also benefit from mindfulness and meditation, diet changes, and lifestyle modifications. There are several organic supplements that are effective for joint pain relief. One of these is Relief Factor, which has been proven to reduce inflammation and alleviate pain.

The key to remember here is that rehabilitation is an effective option for minimizing pain and improving mobility in those who have chronic back pain. Finding the right combination of therapies is critical to creating the desired results.