Physical Therapy for Back and Neck Pain

Back and neck pain can put a dent in your day to day life and the quality of it. Even if it is not detrimental to your overall function, it can be annoying to feel like you are in a constant state of pain, whether it’s mild or severe. Back and neck pain is vastly common, no matter what lifestyle you live. The pain can build up over time or be quickly brought up from accidents, or sudden awkward movements. Luckily, here at Pick PT, we can help relieve this pain, whether major or minor. We will meet you wherever you are and get you back to a pain free life you can enjoy.

Back and Neck Pain Causes 

Unfortunately, back and neck pain can develop very easily from simple lifestyle activities. There are so many nerves and vertebrae that one wrong move can cause those areas to hurt. 

The main causes of back pain are:

• Weak core muscles: When your core muscles are weak, you will have to use your back muscles more
• Muscle strain: Whether it is during an activity or unusual movement to your back, you can strain a muscle that was not warmed up properly
• Poor posture: Overtime, poor posture can disrupt the structure of the back vertebrae and cause the back to become less mobile
• Tweaking while lifting: If you lift or carry something heavy and are not doing so properly, it can cause the back to slip out of its original position and pinch a nerve.
• Age: With natural wear and tear of the body as you age, your back is more susceptible to pain during everyday activities. 

The main causes of neck pain are:

• Stress: Over time, mental stress can cause the neck muscles to become stiff. When you are stressed, you tighten these muscles and that can lead to pain down the road. 
• Poor posture: excess stress can be placed on the neck and surrounding muscles when it is not aligned properly
• Awkward sleeping positions: If your neck is stuck in a weird position that it isn’t used to during sleep, it can cause pain when you wake up.
• Injuries: Injuries from accidents such as whiplash or tweaks from twisting can cause muscle strain or pinched nerves.

What Does the Pain Feel Like?

A lot of back and neck pain symptoms are similar because they are ultimately connected through the spine, but there are also certain symptoms that are exclusively a part of one or the other.

Back Pain Symptoms 

Depending on the severity and if you have a specific condition, back pain can range between:

• Dull pain 
• Numbness 
• Tingling 
• Pain that travels down to your butt and down the legs
• Stiffness 
• Stabbing pain 

Numbness and tingling usually have something to do with nerve damage, while stiffness and muscle pain are less serious and will heal faster. 

Neck Pain Symptoms

• Headache
• Inability to move the neck in different directions
• Stiffness 
• Numbness 
• Tingling
• Dizziness 
• Muscle spasms 

These painful and uncomfortable symptoms can affect a person’s job, along with their social, mental, and physical well-being. At Pick PT in Idaho Falls, we can help you get back to a more fulfilled life through physical therapy.

Treatments

Through physical therapy, there are different treatment options so that we can provide what is best for you. 

Exercises: A lot of back pain can stem from weak muscles that cause the back to start working incorrectly. Sometimes you will be using one side of your back more than the other, causing one side to have weaker muscles and putting more pressure on the spine. Working with a physical therapist to do exercises such as planks, crunches, cat-cow, etc. can help strengthen and even out your core muscles. 

Manual Therapy: Another option for back or neck treatment is manual therapy. Whether that be a massage, taping, ice/heat therapy, a STIM machine, each of these have different benefits. A physical therapist will know what treatment will work best based on muscle vs. nerve pain. 

How Pick PT Can Help 

We have an experienced team that understands back pain and the specific condition you may be suffering from. We can work with you to regain strength, mobility and get rid of the pain. 

1. Consultation

First, we will consult with you to find out where the pain points are. We will discuss your medical history, when you started feeling pain, any specific activity that could have recently caused this, etc. so we can come up with a plan that will help not hinder your recovery. 

1. Curate a Plan

Based on the information provided by you and possibly a doctor if you have a more severe condition, we will come up with a specialized plan that will help you on your road to recovery. Whether you are suffering from a bulging disk, low back strain, lumbar radiculopathy, scoliosis, neck strain, whiplash, etc. we will be able to provide services that will fit your needs. 

1. Work Weekly

Usually, you will go to therapy once a week so that you can perform the curated exercises while being supervised by a physical therapist, letting them know if anything is hurting it and making sure you are doing the exercises correctly. We can also perform manual therapy, such as a STIM machine or ice/heat therapy. We are here to educate you and provide you with all the resources for you to get feeling better.

Benefits of Physical Therapy for Back and Neck Pain

While pain relief is the main reason for doing physical therapy, there are other benefits that come along with it as well. 

• Increased mobility and strength
• Less joint pain
• Better posture 
• Educational resources
• Constant support

Let’s Get that Back and Neck Pain Gone!

Whether you suffer from low back pain, tension headaches, stiff back mobility, etc. we can help you get rid of it. Instead of just putting medicine over the issue and covering it, we aim to get to the root of the problem and heal you from there. If you are feeling any of these symptoms and want to get rid of that pain that won’t seem to go away, contact us at Pick PT to get back to the life you love.