Physicians State Using Alternative Therapies To Relieve Back Pain

It is estimated that 80% of persons in the United States suffer from back pain during sometime in their life. It is ranked the second main cause persons miss time from employment. According to the American Pain Foundation numbers indicate that 26 million persons in the United States suffer from enduring back pain. What a lot of persons do not realize is that even though it is a common condition it is also a very complicated one to provide treatment.

Back pain in the lower back is a very intricate spot to treat. There are many possible causes for the pain to occur including muscle strain and spasms, ligament strains (the ones attached to bones), joint complications and even a disc which has slipped. Common reasons for the agitation can be caused by simple things such as from maintaining lawn or moving heavy furniture which is not an every day task. Even a fall or car accident can produce the pain.

A lot of persons assume that having surgery will correct this problem and it will be faster way for them to cure this problem. However, in actuality about 80% of person who do have back surgery really do not require the surgery. This statement comes from Dr. Cohen, chief of neurosurgery at Brooklyn Hospital Center in New York City, New York.

With that fact in mind Dr. Cohen remarks that are numerous options to treat back pain using alternative and complimentary treatments. Treatments such as vitamins, acupuncture and chiropractic therapy.

Dr. Cohen’s personal practiced theory if he does not observe anything which is like something wrong with a bone or disc, he believe in using alternative therapies. According to Dr. Cohen alternative therapies are the core of his practice.

Dr. James Bray, sports medicine physician at Scott & White Healthcare located in Georgetown, Texas, remarks there are certain kinds of back pain that is in the covering of muscles or in tissues that connect the muscles that are hard to treat. This is where the applications of alternative treatments come into play. Some alternative treatments such as acupuncture or chiropractic therapy really do display proficiency in this area.

Dr. Cohen and Dr. Bray advocate the following alternative treatments for back pain:

Acupuncture

The application of acupuncture has risen within the last few years to help treat back pain. Studies have confirmed Acupuncture to be a reputable treatment for pain relief and it is also safe and effective.

Dr. Cohen states this treatment is wonderful option for persons with chronic back pain. It is excellent for persons who have pain in back or neck which does not travel down the arms or legs a lot. Even Dr. Cohen admits to having it done and feeling 75% greater.

Dr. Cohen remarks that Eastern Practitioners state acupuncture does work by the realignment of energy meridians and it realigns the body. Western doctors still have not ascertained why it does help persons. They have discovered however, that it does aide for pain relief in many cases. Western medicine practitioners just do not have an explanation as to why it seems to be effective.

Massage Therapy

The American Massage Therapy Association conducted a survey in the year 2001 and there results had showed that the numbers of adults receiving massages had in fact doubled since the year 1997.

Currently there are large number of health practitioners that do admit that massage therapy is a qualified alternative for low back pain and effective additional treatment. Among practitioners at least 44% state that they do encourage their patients who suffer from low back pain to use massage therapy as part of their treatments.

According to Dr. Cohen massage is more than stretching muscles or removing a knot. It also employs lactic acid and lymphatic draining within the body. When persons are sore this is delivering a message that the lactic acid or waste products have accumulated in the muscles. Massage therapy has the ability to relocate the lactic acid faster away from the muscles. Which in turn makes the body heal it’s self a lot quicker.

Dr. Bray adds in the main aspect of massage is locate a massage therapist that you can form a connection with and trust. Otherwise the treatment just will be distorted.

Chiropractic Therapy

According to a recent survey chiropractic care is ranked number one in alternative treatments. Chiropractic treatments have been used religiously for at least the last century. Spinal manipulations have been for the greater part dismissed and over looked by healthcare practitioners until recently.

The use of spinal manipulations are totally safe and very effective form of treatment for back pain. It aides in reduction of pain and medication usage and it quickly advances physical therapy treatments. Very few patients who seek chiropractic care have the passive treatment of bed rest.

Dr. Cohen remarks on chiropractic care are persons main thought about chiropractors is they simply crack the back while you lay down on a table. Dr. Cohen chimes in what they do not realize is they do provide a enormous amount of soft tissue work. They can beneficially help with back pain even in some instances when it does travel down to the buttocks area or legs. Chiropractors employ numerous treatments. Even as Dr. Cohen states use ultra sound and heat to end the circle of muscle spasms and the trigger points for which are causing the problem. Also, the cracking sound sometimes heard during treatment is favorable aspect. Most practitioners believe it comes from nitrogen bubbles that are being released from the joints. This in turn help for the spine to be rebalanced.

Pilates and Yoga

Pilates and yoga are becoming an increasing favorite. Grant it a lot of the attention for it is from well known celebrities now singing the praises. However, medical practitioners do in fact give recommendations as an alternative treatment for back pain.

Yoga has been a known practice in India for well over 5,000 years. Yoga aides in the connection of your spirit and well being. Breathing exercises and correct posture form are some of the techniques which are learned.

Pilates came about the scene near the start of the 20th century. The basic fundamentals of pilates is to teach one’s mind to control their muscles. This in retrospect corrects the alignment in posture and at the same time adds strength to the spinal column.

Dr. Cohen’s states that both yoga and pilates help to provide maintenance to your back and fight off soreness. The techniques used work on the bodies equilibrium, help give muscles more strength, breathing, adjusting strength, flexibility, adjusting your body and putting your body in the correct alignment in which will make a person feel better and have more resistance against injuries and tiredness.

According to Kostantion Vasalos, physical therapist and coordinator of the spine rehabilitation program at the University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, New York, surmises it that men and women have a habit of placing weight on their hips and abdomen due to center of gravity. The idea of Pilates provides the ability to strengthen abdominal muscles and hips. To think of them as Grand Central Station of the body, if you keep them functioning properly and keep flexibility going to helps provide protection from injury and general wear and tear.

However, he goes on to make a strong point that Pilates and Yoga are not the type of exercises for person who have either herniated or degenerative discs. Certain kinds of yoga strongly aim at being flexible and immensely stretch the spine which in all possibility can be undermining to persons with degenerative spinal changes or who have stress fractures.

Strengthening Exercises

Mr. Vasalos states that strengthening exercises such as sit ups are developed to fully magnify muscle contractions. Strengthening exercises should be used properly if not they can add to the damage. When doing these exercises a person does become stronger, but as this happens you can possibly compress your spine and receive additional symptoms. So if you are having problems currently with your spine it is best to wait till these issues are resolved.

Physical therapists and chiropractors can aide you in strengthening exercises for your back along with qualified strength trainers.

Aerobic Exercise

The perfect type of aerobic exercises uses the large muscle groups of your body, your arms and legs. This can be achieved through a fluent reserved style. This includes swimming and bicycling.

Dr. Cohen remarks that just as the associated practices of yoga and pilates, aerobics are more geared towards persons who want to keep in good shape and keep a healthy back. Aerobics are not for persons who have serious injuries.

Aerobic exercises within a period of time allow for muscles to be more productive.

Mr. Vasalos adds in that walking is a satisfactory way to exercise your back muscles. Nevertheless, in order for walking to be productive it needs to performed using a brisk pace and being a ongoing regular routine.

Dr. Cohen adds in that walking is a more accustomed position for the back then sitting. When sitting in a low chair or car and the hips along with knees come up this irritates the strain. It removes the curvature right out of the back.