Long-lasting back pain makes it difficult to get through your daily life. That’s why finding treatment is a major priority for people living with chronic and recurring back pain. Many of them choose physical therapy.
Physical therapists are able to treat a variety of conditions that cause back pain without the use of drugs or surgery. If you live near Blaine, Washington, you may want to visit the team at Whatcom Physical Therapy for back pain caused by:
1. Muscle conditions
You may think of your spine as the structural support of your upper body. This is true, but your muscles also play a vital role in support. One reason you may have pain in your back is that your back and abdomen muscles are weak, tense or strained.
Besides having sore muscles, this increases pressure on your spine. Increased pressure on the spine can irritate the nerves running through it and contribute to the development of conditions affecting the discs and vertebrae.
2. Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and other forms of arthritis can affect your spine. Arthritis causes the cartilage in your body to break down. When this happens in your spine, friction increases between your vertebrae and pressure increases on the nerves in your spine.
3. Herniated disc
Each vertebra in your spine is separated by a tough disc full of a jelly-like fluid. This disc helps cushion the vertebrae from impacts and keeps them from rubbing against one another. Strain, injuries and other conditions can lead to the fluid bursting out of the shell in one or more of these discs.
This fluid puts pressure on the nerves in your spine, which can be painful and limit your range of motion.
4. Degenerative disc disease (DDD)
DDD is not technically a disease. Rather, it is the natural wearing down of the discs in your spine. Over time, the discs become more rigid, which reduces their effectiveness in protecting the vertebrae. This leads to pain and loss of mobility in the parts of the spine where the discs are most worn down.
5. Spinal stenosis
Spinal stenosis refers to the narrowing of the spinal column. This is usually due to another condition like arthritis or an injury. When spinal stenosis occurs, there is an increase of pressure on the nerves in the spinal column.
Visit Whatcom Physical Therapy in Blaine, WA, for back pain treatment
Our physical therapists in Blaine are trained and experienced in many different techniques for back pain. We can examine the condition of your back to determine which techniques will be best for your personalized treatment. Contact our team today to learn more about physical therapy or to schedule an initial appointment.
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