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Back pain is a common problem in New York. Almost everybody experiences it at some time in their life. It's not just a back problem either. It can be anything from a nuisance to debilitating. The issue can also be called low back pain, upper back pain, or even mid-back pain.
When it comes to our New York pain management services for back pain relief, medical massage is becoming a more and more popular option because most conventional treatments are focused on treating the symptoms of back pain rather than addressing the root cause.
Medical massage is an effective pain management technique for back pain that you may have never considered. This blog will help you understand what is going on and how this therapy can relieve back pain.
What is back pain?
Back pain is a common complaint that affects people of all ages, genders, and ethnicities. The lower back is the most common area to experience pain, but many people experience neck pain as well. One in ten people will experience back pain. If you're one of the million Americans who suffer from it, you know how frustrating it can be.
Back pain can disrupt your quality of life. It can make sitting, standing, walking, and even sleeping difficult. Back pain is likely to get worse before it gets better, and it has a way of turning into an insidiously destructive cycle, so it's important to see a pain management expert as soon as possible.
What causes back pain?
The back provides support and movement for the upper body; it helps keep us standing, sitting, lifting, bending, and twisting. The spine is made up of bones or vertebrae separated by discs of cartilage. The discs act as shock absorbers between the vertebrae, allowing the spine to bend differently.
The discs are made of a strong, flexible material but can tear, bulge, or break. When this happens, the disc loses its ability to absorb shock, which can lead to pain and other problems in the back. Bulges or herniated discs are caused when disc ruptures or tears. A herniated disc can press on nearby nerves causing pain in the legs or arms. Sometimes a doctor may need to remove part of a broken disc to relieve pressure on a nerve caused by an injury or disease such as chronic inflammation of the spine (spondylitis).
A herniated disc (bulging disc) will cause pain in your back because it puts pressure on your spinal cord, which controls signals from your brain to your muscles and organs. Pressure on the spinal cord can make you feel weak, numb, tingly, or sore in your arms or legs.
The cause of back pain and other pain conditions is irritation or inflammation in the body. There are lots of theories, but it's sometimes hard to pinpoint what causes it. Researchers believe that genetics and your environment are factors. For example, if you have a family history of back pain, that might mean you're more susceptible to it.
It can be caused by many things, including poor posture, weight gain or loss, poor lifting technique, stress, and even traumatic injury. Long periods in front of a computer or watching television can cause muscle tightness and lead to pain in the shoulders, arms, neck, or back. The key to keeping your back healthy is to stop the problem before it starts or at least minimizes the damage when an injury does occur. See an NYC pain management specialist right away.
The most common cause of back pain is strain or sprains on the muscles and ligaments that support your spine. For example, you may have injured your back lifting something heavy or fallen awkwardly on the floor.
Other causes include:
Muscle strain
Muscle spasm
Disc injury
Bone spurs
Injury to the back or spinal cord (a pinched nerve)
Arthritis or osteoporosis of the spine
Cancer in or around the spine
Spondylolisthesis (slippage of one vertebra on another)
Spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal)
Facet syndrome (joints that connect bones in your spine)
Bursitis (inflammation of a bursa, which is a fluid-filled sac that acts as a cushion between bones and muscles)
Osteoarthritis (wear and tear of cartilage in joints)
Degenerative disc disease (breakdown of intervertebral discs between vertebrae)
Who can have back pain?
Everyone's physiology is different. However, there are many things that can cause this. It depends on your specific medical conditions or your history of illnesses. Back pain can be debilitating. But don't let fear drive you into making otherwise avoidable mistakes—the key is seeing a pain doctor before anything gets worse.
Back pain is a common health problem for many people. People in professions that entail an extensive amount of sitting, as well as everyday office workers, may experience lower back pain from being inactive during the day. When you're not moving around much (like when you're sitting in class or at your desk at work), your muscles tend to tighten up. People who work on their feet, such as professional athletes, carpenters, and laborers, also experience high back pain due to bodily stressors on their muscles and body structure.
A lot of people get back pain after playing sports or doing physical labor, but even sitting in one position for too long can provide tension on your spine. In fact, when you sit for longer than 20 minutes without stretching, your back muscles tighten up and compress the spine. Over time, this can lead to the thickening of the tissues around the vertebrae and spinal nerves, making it harder for blood and oxygen to reach the spinal cord.
The causes of back pain vary from person to person, but certain factors may increase your risk of developing this condition:
Chronic stress
Problems with your posture
Poor muscle strength and flexibility
Poor core stability (the ability to support yourself)
What are the symptoms of back pain?
The causes of back pain range from sudden injuries to age-related wear and tear. Its symptoms may respond to basic remedies like rest and over-the-counter painkillers. But sometimes it's more serious; if you have numbness, weakness or severe pain in both legs (not just one), sudden weakness in your arms or legs, loss of bowel or bladder control, trouble walking or moving your bowels, chest pain and wheezing or coughing that won't go away—call a pain management specialist in NYC immediately.
The symptoms of back pain may vary from person to person, but there are some common ones that you should be on the lookout for. Back pain can be a dull ache or sharp pain. It can also come and go as well as get worse when you do certain things. What's more, your pain may radiate into your arms or legs.
The following are the most common symptoms of back pain:
Dull ache in the middle of your back that doesn't go away after a few hours
Sharp pain in one specific spot, such as near your shoulder blade or lower back
Pain that radiates from one part of your back to another (for example, from your lower back to your groin)
Pain that gets worse with activity and improves when you rest
Pain in the lower back that may radiate up into the legs
Pain in the upper back between the shoulder blades
Pain in one side of your lower back
Pain that worsens with movement and improves with rest
A sensation of weakness or numbness in your legs
A stiff or painful neck
Is medical massage therapy an effective back New York pain management method?
There are multiple ways to manage your back pain—the first step is to figure out what's causing the pain. For example, if your problem is caused by poor posture or some other physical factor, then there are exercises that can help improve your posture and reduce strain on your back.
Medical massage is a good pain management option for people who are experiencing back pain. It is a treatment focused on treating specific health conditions diagnosed by a doctor and is administered by a licensed medical massage therapist.
Studies have shown that medical massage can help with managing back pain and heal injuries. Patients who received medical massage had less pain than those who didn't get it. It also found that people who received this therapy had more significant improvements in range of motion, which is important because improved mobility can help you manage your pain.
People with chronic back pain may find that medical massage can help ease their discomfort. In addition, massage may help relieve some of the stress of living with pain and improve mood. It can also help ease depression and anxiety associated with chronic pain conditions like fibromyalgia and arthritis.
Whether you suffer from lower or upper back pain, massage therapy can be effective in treating such conditions. Medical massage therapy benefits your body by increasing circulation, reducing muscle tension, relieving muscle tightness, and improving flexibility. This can help speed healing after an injury or surgery.
Where to get help for back pain?
Back pain is a common problem, yet it's not always easy to treat. The best way to work with your body to find relief may be different for different people, so consider consulting a pain management specialist before trying any treatment.
Many people benefit from non-surgical treatments to ease pain, increase mobility, and improve their quality of life. However, if you're experiencing chronic pain in your back, it's important to consult with a pain management specialist to determine the underlying cause and whether you need treatment.
A licensed massage therapist will be able to design a pain management program to help you manage your condition and recover from any injuries that may have occurred as a result of your back pain. Medical massage also helps with increasing blood flow during your treatment and thus can increase healing from the inside out. Be sure to stretch before exercising, work out when your body is rested, and be careful when you lift heavy objects to avoid putting excess strain on the lower part of your back. By following the therapist's guidelines, you can develop effective ways to manage and treat your back pain. The goal is to develop the strength of your core muscles so that your back won't have to take the strain. While it's essential that you make sure your symptoms are being effectively treated, you can reduce the likelihood of them returning. Don't wait for your back pain to go away on its own—find help and get your life back today!
If you have been experiencing back pain, please feel free to give our New York pain management center a call. We offer top-rated pain management services, including medical massage therapy that can help you alleviate your back pain. We are also able to educate you on ways to avoid future pain.