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Running-Out-of-Relief-Options-For-Back-Pain
Running Out of Relief Options For Back Pain? Physical Therapy Can Help!

Back pain and discomfort costs the world’s economy 149 million workdays, according to the World Health Organization. This problem is extremely prevalent; in fact, 60-70 percent of individuals in developed countries suffer from it. The good news? You’re not alone if you’ve been suffering from back pain, and there is assistance available! Physical therapy is a great options for back pain relief.

If you live with chronic back pain, then you are well aware of how restricting it may be in your daily life. That’s why it’s critical to see a physical therapist as soon as the symptoms appear. The longer you wait, the more probable it is that your pain will develop into a more serious problem.

If you have been living with back pain, don’t wait any longer. Call Dubuque Physical Therapy today to schedule a consultation and get started on the best treatment plan for your needs.

Reasons your back is hurting

There are many different reasons you may be experiencing back pain, and ignoring any of them is not a good idea.

Although most people recover within 2-4 weeks, some people who, when left untreated, experience lower back for months leading to long-term pain and dysfunction.

Some of the most common issues associated with back pain include:

  • Improper posture or prolonged positions (i.e., prolonged sitting)
  • Spinal muscle and tissue damage (i.e., lifting strains or trauma from accidents)
  • Limited hip, spine, and pelvis mobility
  • Limited muscle flexibility
  • Spinal/pelvic muscle weaknesses (aka “core” weakness)
  • Poor abdominal, pelvic and back muscle coordination (i.e., compensations due to injury)

The source of acute pain comes from injury or irritation of the muscles, joints (including the intervertebral discs and facet joints), nerves or surrounding ligaments, and other soft tissue. Chronic back pain (i.e., lasting more than three months) is associated with older individuals and women. Chronic pain is also more common with overweight or obese people, sedentary lifestyles, and/or high-stress environments.

How can therapy help decrease my discomfort?

In order to help you regain mobility, function, and comfort, your physical therapist will focus on treating the source of your back pain. Your personalized treatment plan will include the most effective strategies for reducing pain, speeding up the healing process, and restoring function and movement to the damaged areas of your back.

Your first session will include a full evaluation, which will help your physical therapist determine which treatment options are appropriate for your orthopedic, neurologic, or cardiovascular issue.

Active physical therapy treatments for back pain

The goal of active physical therapy is to provide exercises that the patient can accomplish on their own. When your lower back pain has lessened to the point where your physical therapist believes you are ready for active physical therapy, he or she will create a customized exercise program for you.

Stretching, strength training, and stability training can all be used to help you regain flexibility, range of motion, and muscular strength. These exercises will aid in the rehabilitation of the sore area by providing support and guiding you through the process.

Passive physical therapy treatments for back pain

The purpose of passive physical therapy is to help pain become more manageable, and hopefully to alleviate it altogether. Lower back pain can be a debilitating condition, impeding your physical abilities. Because of this, physical therapists work hard to reduce pain as much as possible. Passive physical therapy can include any combination of these special treatments, as deemed fit by your physical therapist:

  • Manual therapy.
  • Dry needling.
  • Ultrasound.
  • Iontophoresis.
  • Hydrotherapy.
  • Electrical stimulation, such as TENS Units.
  • Ice/heat packs.
  • Massage.

Some of these methods are used to reduce pain and swelling, such as heat/ice packs and massage therapy.

Hydrotherapy is an aquatic-based treatment that involves patients performing low-intensity motions in water to relieve muscular tension and allow joints to move freely and painlessly.

While it may sound frightening, electrical stimulation is a harmless treatment that sends small pulses of electricity throughout your nervous system. This aids in pain reduction, as well as reducing muscular spasms and promoting the production of pain-relieving hormones in your body.

These techniques are more commonly used for the treatment of lower back pain than others, although any could be prescribed based on your physical therapist’s discretion.

What should I expect during treatment?

Physical therapy for back pain relief aims to relieve pain, increase function, and decrease the risk of future injury.

When you come in for your consultation, your physical therapist will perform a thorough examination that includes a physical examination as well as questions about your pain levels, lifestyle, and medical history. Following the collection of this information, your physical therapist will develop a personalised treatment plan tailored to your specific needs.

Treatment plans will include both passive and active treatment methods, as mentioned above. It is likely that your physical therapist will also provide you with gentle stretches and exercises to do on your own, in order to maintain the progress you make during your sessions.

You can find true, lasting relief today

If you have been living with back pain, call Dubuque Physical Therapy as soon as possible – we’ll provide you with the relief you need so you can get back to living a healthy, happy lifestyle without pain.

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5-Ways-Stretching-Can-Provide-Pain-Relief-and-Improve-Flexibility
5 Ways Stretching Can Provide Pain Relief and Improve Flexibility

Do you stretch regularly? If you don’t, know that you’re not the only one slacking off on this vital aspect of exercise!

Stretching is an important element of physical therapy. Targeted stretches are incorporated into practically every physical therapy treatment plan. Stretching is beneficial to everyone, from athletes aiming to improve their technique to seniors seeking relief from chronic aches and pains.

Stretching not only improves flexibility, but it’s also a natural approach to relieve discomfort and make any subsequent physical therapy treatments go more smoothly.

To learn more about incorporating stretching into your life, call Dubuque Physical Therapy today for more information and a consultation!

Do you know about these benefits of stretching?

There are a lot of benefits of stretching that are not always discussed! Five of the best ones are as follows:

1. Stretching is all natural and totally free

It is obvious that if we experience back pain, we should stretch out our backs. However, sometimes stretching your legs during physical therapy can provide unexpected relief to your back, as well. Sometimes we forget how interconnected all of our body parts are!

In fact, your hamstrings, upper thighs, and hips can all play a big part in creating lower back pain relief. Likewise, improving your posture through stretching your torso can provide the kind of support you need to keep your spine from compressing, which helps you avoid shoulder and neck pain. Essentially, stretching different parts of your body can provide relief to places you may not have considered!

2. Stretching helps boost circulation

Stretching can help you relax, but it has other benefits for your heart and musculoskeletal system as well. Stretching is important for practically all aspects of your physical ability.

Tight muscles reduce the amount of oxygen available to the body, depriving it of the nutrients it requires. Stretching aids in the reversal of the process. You’ll benefit from enhanced blood flow to your joints and throughout your body if you stretch frequently.

3. Stretching naturally enhances athletic performance

This is particularly true for athletes. The more you condition your muscles, joints, and ligaments, the better your athletic performance will be.

Bodybuilders, for example, recover from reps considerably faster when they stretch as a cool-down. Golfers can extend their reach by expanding their hips and shoulder range of motion. By stretching and honing their balance, swimmers can even out their strokes. If you’re an athlete, stretching can make a big difference in your results.

4. It’s an effective way to improve range of motion.

Whether it’s turning your head to see behind you while driving, or bending your knee freely while running, range of motion is crucial for both daily life and for fitness pursuits. Range of motion consists of how well your joints can move in all directions. This influences every movement you make! If you have a constricting condition, such as arthritis or an injury, your range of motion can be hindered.

Stretching can help reduce stiffness and increase flexibility, therefore improving your range of motion.

5. Stretching helps prevent injuries

When muscles are tight or tense, the likelihood of injury increases. This occurs because that particular part of your body isn’t working at its peak performance, even though you might be. When you stretch, you’re loosening up your muscles, in addition to increasing range of motion and improving balance, which all factor into injury prevention.

All of these characteristics can save you from making the kinds of mistakes that contribute to injury, such as landing too hard on one foot, twisting your back too far, or falling due to a loss of balance.

Let’s get to stretching; give us a call today!

As you can see, there are numerous reasons why you should consider incorporating stretching into your daily routine. Whether it’s dynamic, static, pre-activity, or post-activity, one of our professional physical therapists can help you figure out the ideal stretches for your lifestyle.

In addition to the ones listed above, stretching has various other health benefits.

Are you ready to reap some of stretching’s benefits? If that’s the case, give Dubuque Physical Therapy a call today!

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Headache-Pain-Is-No-Joke
Headache Pain Is No Joke. Find Freedom Through Physical Therapy!

Have you been suffering from debilitating headaches? If so, know that you are not alone. It is no secret that headaches can cause limits to your daily life. In fact, the International Headache Society states that headaches are the third most common pain complaint of pain across the world.

Fortunately though, physical therapy can help you overcome those painful barriers.

If you are living with constant headaches and you’re looking for relief, call Dubuque Physical Therapy today to consult with one of our licensed physical therapists. We’ll help you find true and lasting relief from headache pain!

What is causing my headaches?

A “headache” is a term that refers to any form of pain that happens in the head. The trick is to figure out what kind of headache you’re having and then come up with a treatment strategy that works for you. Physical therapists are skilled at identifying various forms of headaches and developing pain-relieving treatments for stress-related headaches.

There are several different types of headaches that can be treated with physical therapy. These include, but are not limited to:

  • Exertion.
  • Migraine or sinus.
  • Stress (tension).
  • Hypertension.
  • Cluster.
  • Hormone.
  • Rebound.
  • Caffeine.
  • Post-traumatic.

Tension headaches are some of the most commonly treated headaches by a physical therapist. They occur when the neck and scalp muscles contract or become tense, and they can happen at any age.

Stress-related headaches generally start at the back of the head and progress to the top of the head and eyes, sometimes accompanied by facial pain along the jaw and cheeks. This type of discomfort has been compared to having hair pulled or wearing a very tight hat. These types of headaches can occur as a result of:

  • Neck or jaw problems.
  • Poor posture.
  • Arthritis.
  • Depression.
  • Anxiety.
  • Increased stress.
  • Fatigue.

Most headaches will resolve on their own without medical intervention; however, severe or recurrent headaches that interfere with one’s quality of life should most certainly be evaluated further.

Physical therapy techniques for pain relief

The good news is that if you’re struggling with headache pain, there is a solution to your problem. You can kiss those days and nights of pounding grief goodbye!

Your physical therapist may suggest any combination of specialized treatment services to treat your headaches. These may include, but are not limited to the following:

  • Muscular releases.
  • Muscle energy techniques.
  • Cervical traction.
  • Soft tissue mobilization.
  • McKenzie-based therapies.
  • Body mobilization.
  • Ice or heat compressions.
  • Stretching exercises.
  • Strengthening exercises.

With all treatment plans, you can expect to receive education that will supplement your in-office experience. During your first appointment, your therapist will assess your condition, ask you about your symptoms, and create a customized treatment plan specifically for you.

You can also expect the following during your assessment:

  • Examination of your posture while engaged in different activities.
  • Tests of your muscle strength and sensation.
  • Manual therapy to ascertain the mobility of joints and muscles in your neck.
  • Measurements regarding the range of motion of your shoulders, neck, and other relevant parts of the body.
  • Questions regarding previous injuries to your neck, head, jaw, and/or back.
  • Inquiries about the location of the pain, in addition to any other symptoms you are experiencing.

Your treatment plan will be aimed at giving you pain relief and increasing your daily function. Your physical therapist will help you achieve this through:

  • Strength improvement. You’ll learn exercises to help strengthen the muscles that control your neck and upper back, in order to improve posture and increase your ability to stand or sit comfortably for longer periods of time.
  • Posture improvement. Your posture throughout the day greatly impacts your likelihood for pain and stress-related headaches. Your physical therapist will teach you methods of improving your posture in order to function more comfortably in your daily life.
  • Neck function improvement. Using manual therapy, your physical therapist will stretch the muscles in the back of your neck to relieve pain and increase movement.

What are you waiting for? Relief is a call away!

The sooner you see a physical therapist, the less probable it is that your headaches will become more severe.

Are your headaches interfering with your everyday activities? If this is the case, please inform us as soon as possible. To get started on the first steps of your own tailored treatment plan, call our office today!

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