Back pain may be caused by osteoporosis, a ligament or muscle strain, arthritis, or ruptured or bulging disks. Physiotherapy is designed to help restore your back to its pre-back pain state.
Both passive and active forms of physical therapy will be used in order to relieve back inflammation, tension, and pain. Physiotherapy is a holistic form of therapy. It does not involve the use of powerful and addictive painkillers.
It is a non-invasive form of therapy that does not involve surgery or other invasive procedures. Here, we will discuss how to relieve back pain the natural way with physiotherapy.
How does a physiotherapist treat back pain?
Stretching exercises are designed to increase the patient’s range of motion. You will notice less back pain while also being able to do more in your day-to-day life. Strengthening exercises will provide your feeble back muscles with added reinforcement.
The end result is less fatigue around the back area, as well as a back that will be straighter and stronger.
The physiotherapist may also suggest that you make some changes to your lifestyle. Stress easement is the goal, and preventive measures will need to be enforced in order to prevent back problems from developing in the future.
They will also train you to react less severely to pain. A part of pain management involves lowering anxiety levels. Mindfulness practices will be recommended in order to help you manage your pain responses in a more effective manner.
In addition, they may suggest low-impact aerobic exercises to help treat your back pain, including, but not limited to, stationary biking, exercise walking, and water-based and elliptical exercises.
As can be seen, physiotherapy helps patients return to their normal quality of life while also learning how to prevent back problems from developing in the future.
What to expect from a physiotherapy treatment
You will be asked to fill out a few forms to learn more about you, your medical history, and the like. One of the forms that you will be asked to fill out is a questionnaire on how severe your pain is and how the pain is affecting your life.
You will be asked to fill out the same questionnaire after the first treatment has been administered to determine if there has been any difference in your pain level. After the forms are completed, the physiotherapist will perform their own assessment.
They will ask you to pinpoint where the pain is, as well as the history or timeline of the pain. They will ask you about your medical history, and if you have any chronic health conditions or diseases.
The goal is to identify the root cause of the problem. Is it being caused by irritation to the nerves? Is it due to inflammation? Are there mechanical reasons? To begin, mini-treatments will be performed in order to discover more about the pain that you’re in.
For example, they may try supporting one of your limbs or they may stretch your muscles. They may also gently loosen some of your joint structures.
The therapist will continue to ask you questions in order to learn more about your symptoms and their progression in order to provide an accurate diagnosis. The goal is to find the root cause of your pain and not simply provide a bandage solution, such as taking painkillers.
Based on their diagnosis, they will give a wide array of different treatment modalities. They will also provide you with exercises that you can perform at home or at work in order to accelerate your recovery.
You will also be asked to follow up with your physiotherapist in order to learn more about how you are feeling and if there have been any changes. Treatments can last anywhere from 1 to 5 weeks depending on the condition and the extent of your pain.
Are there any side effects from physiotherapy?
Side effects are minimal to non-existent. While you may experience some soreness after the first few sessions, physiotherapy is far better tolerated than other measures used to try and treat back pain, such as powerful drugs and invasive and painful surgeries.
Physiotherapy is a painless and naturalistic form of treatment that also places a strong emphasis on preventive medicine in order to prevent subsequent back problems from arising.
Getting back to normal!
Physiotherapy can treat back pain by reducing pain, inflammation, and muscle and joint stiffness. It helps enhance blood circulation and the absorption of nutrients and helps the body repair itself in an accelerated manner.
Physiotherapy can also help treat fatigue, increase your range of motion, and boost your muscle strength and support. It is also commonly used to treat pelvic issues, such as bowel and urinary incontinence, that are caused by pregnancy and childbirth.