Back pain refers to any stiffness, swelling, or general discomfort that affects any area of the spine between your waist and shoulders. It's the number one cause of disability worldwide and often occurs to general wear and tear. Almost everyone experiences back pain at some point in their lives. Back pain can strike at any time, keeping you from work, exercise, and other daily activities. Fortunately, with early intervention and treatment, most back pain responds to conservative care. At Core Rehab, our providers have years of experience diagnosing and treating back pain. Using a combination of physical therapy and integrative pain management, our team can get you relief quickly.
Back sprain - A back sprain is defined as a stretch or tear of a ligament within the back. A ligament is the tissue that connects two bones together. Back sprains are very common injuries. Common symptoms of back sprains are limited movement, pain that increases when bending forward or sideways, and muscle spasms.
Back strain - A back strain is defined as a stretch or tear of a muscle or tendon within the back. A tendon is the tissue that connects muscles to bones. Back strains can cause a decrease in mobility and increased pain with movement.
Bulged or Herniated disc - A bulged or herniated disc occurs when a vertebral disc breaks through its protective outer barrier, placing pressure on the nerves. This can lead to pain, numbness, tingling, and/or weakness in an arm or leg.
Sciatica - Sciatica occurs when the sciatic nerve is compressed by a bone spur or herniated disc. Over time, it can cause low back pain, weakness, and tingling in the legs and feet.
Spinal stenosis - Spinal stenosis is a degenerative condition that causes the space between the spinal vertebrae to narrow. This can put pressure on the nerves causing pain, numbness, tingling, and muscle weakness. The most common cause of spinal stenosis is wear and tear to the spine due to arthritis.
Arthritis - Arthritis a group of more than 100 chronic diseases that affects the joints and musculoskeletal system. Some of the most common types of arthritis that affect the back include osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and spondylarthritis.
Auto Injuries - Auto injuries occur as a result of a motor vehicle accident. When a person is rear-ended while in their vehicle or if they hit another object, the force of the collision can throw vertebrae out of alignment and increase the risk of a sprain or strain.
Work Injuries - Work injuries are any injuries that occur on the job. If you work in a physically demanding field like construction or warehousing, you're more likely to experience a repetitive use injury. To reduce your risk, practice good posture, lift with your legs, and take frequent breaks.
To determine the cause of your back pain our providers will conduct a physical examination, ask about your symptoms, and ask you to perform a series of easy exercises to assess your mobility and range of motion. If necessary, imaging (X-Ray, CT scan, MRI scan) may also be ordered to rule out an underlying health problem like arthritis or a herniated disc.
Once your cause of back pain has been determined we will then proceed with treatment. Our physical therapy team will incorporate therapeutic exercises, stretches, manual tissue therapy, and neuromuscular education to your plan. Occasionally, we will also include massage therapy, electrical stimulation, and mechanical traction to your treatment plan if it is recommended by our providers. If less invasive treatment is not helpful in your recovery, multiple other options are available thru the pain management physician. This combined approach ensures the best treatment plan and outcome for you.
