Treating Pain

Information is readily available on the way to stop back and neck pain. The challenge is to tailor it to the particular patient. For example, it’s often said that swimming is good for the back. But which stroke? And how often? It’s also said that using certain kinds of pillows are best for the neck. But which kind? And does this apply to every type of neck pain?

Strengthening the abdominal muscles is also commonly ordered for low back pain. But how is this done? And are you exercising the right way for your back injury? If a brace of special equipment is necessary, which is the right one? The list goes on: cold or hot applications, rest or activity?

• Radiculopathy : A pinched nerve, also called sciatica, usually from herniated, or slipped, disk. This can cause a shooting paint down the leg or arm that’s often described as an electrical feeling.
• Myofascial Pain : Generally an aching pain in muscles that tends to come from poor posture, sitting at a computer, or other job-related tasks. With myofascial pain the patient can become sore in different parts of the body like the back and legs, or the neck and arms. Often patients report that they have difficulty sleeping or feeling restored from sleep.
• Spinal Stenosis : A narrowing of the nerve openings either around the spinal cord or nerve roots that can cause symptoms similar to a pinched nerve. It can cause arm or leg pain in anyone, but most often does so in older people. Patients with spinal stenosis can have trouble walking, and the difficulty is usually relieved by the sitting down or bending forward. It can cause aching or heaviness in the back and legs.
• Tendon, Ligament, and Soft Tissue Pain : Localized pain when an area is stretched or its muscles are overused. This results in tenderness.
• Non-Spinal Causes of Low Back Pain : Pain imitating a back injury, but from another cause. Appendicitis, kidney disease, uterine disorders and urinary tract infections are a few examples of problems that can refer pain to the back.
• Non-Spinal Causes of Neck Pain : Pain imitating a neck injury, but from another cause.Shoulder and elbow injuries and gall bladder disease are a few examples of problems that can refer pain to the neck area.
• Repetitive Strain Injury : An injury that occurs from a chronically used part of the body, either in a normal or abnormal way. These problems are often found in people who sit at desks or work at computers.