Two of the most typical forms of pain are neck and lower back discomfort. These aches, which are often experienced by most people at some time in their life, can be quite debilitating.
The pain may be slight, dull, inconvenient, or it may be constant, severe, and incapacitating. When this occurs, it may limit your range of motion and affect your daily activities and quality of life. Benchmark Physio will treat your neck and lower back pain.
Your neck and lower back pain may be treated surgically or non-surgically with techniques like Cognitive Functional Therapy, depending on the underlying reason (CFT). The four non-surgical therapies are discussed in this article since surgery is not always necessary.
What causes discomfort in the lower back and neck?
There are various reasons why you could experience neck and lower back discomfort, but it generally begins with tight muscles in those areas. Additionally, any of the following may cause it:
- fractures, trauma, or injuries
- repeatedly taxing the muscles
- The vertebrae are deteriorating
- persistent or under stress stance
- obesity
- joint issues
- unusual development, such as a tumor or bone spur
- a herniated or protruding disk, and a pinched nerve
It can occasionally be challenging to identify the precise source of your neck and lower back discomfort. Your problem might become severe or chronic and become permanently disabling if you don't get treatment.
It is advisable to get expert assistance for your neck and lower back pain in order to receive a precise diagnosis and learn which non-surgical therapies can help to lessen flare-ups and control the pain.
Alternatives to Surgery for Neck and Lower Back Pain
These aches can be treated in a variety of non-surgical ways. Among them are:
Vertebrate Manipulation
Personal Changes
Loss of weight
Clinical Cognitive Therapy
- Vertebrate Manipulation
In physiotherapy, spinal manipulation is a high velocity low amplitude thrust (HVLAT) method that can be used to assist reduce neck and lower back pain and stiffness.
Three hypotheses have been put forth to explain its therapeutic effects:
The facet joint inside hypomobile joints may become biomechanically separated due to joint gapping caused by cavitation.
Muscular reflexogenic: The manipulation results in reflex pain relief, muscle relaxation, and functional capacity improvement.
Neurophysiological - Involves modifying pain perception by descending pain inhibition, the release of certain neurotransmitters, and the pain gate mechanism.
Each of them has the capacity to enhance range of motion, lessen the impacts of discomfort, and enhance joint gapping.
- Personal Changes
Neck and lower back discomfort are often indicators that you should pay attention to your health and adjust your lifestyle as needed. For instance, having lower back discomfort after spending many hours in a seated position at your desk at work.
To relieve stress or prevent strain from building up in your lower back's joints and muscles, be sure to take a rest sometimes. This will not only assist in easing the pain but will also stop any underlying conditions from getting worse.
- Loss of weight
Obesity or being overweight can occasionally interfere mechanically with your joints and muscles, particularly in the region above the knees and the lower back. Your body's sensitivity to pain may be impacted by this.
Your pain sensitivity may be lessened or perhaps eliminated by losing some weight. In order to find techniques to drop some weight, talk to your doctor and collaborate with them. This can entail consuming a balanced diet and engaging in frequent exercise.
- Clinical Cognitive Therapy (CFT)
A method used in physical treatment is called cognitive functional therapy. Due to its patient-centered approach to pain management, it is a more contemporary and innovative sort of non-surgical treatment. CFT tackles your lower back and neck problems as a whole rather than concentrating therapy on certain body areas. Simply said, it takes into account your sensory, emotional, and bodily experiences of the pain.
Your physiotherapist will urge you to discuss the history of the disease that caused your neck and lower back pain as part of this treatment. They do this in an effort to give you a better understanding of your discomfort and enable you to behave more positively. You may eventually experience better mental health, better pain management, and a reduced need for medication. This kind of all-encompassing care is available at Benchmark Physio.
When should you seek expert help?
If you have persistent neck or lower back discomfort, it's critical to get medical attention. This is due to the fact that it may result in a more serious problem like sciatica or degenerative disc degeneration.
If the pain is accompanied by additional symptoms like tingling, numbness, or paralysis in the extremities, you should also get medical attention.
You can choose CFT, which seeks to explain your pain, if your symptoms are not severe and do not coincide with any other symptoms. In fact, according to a number of studies, CFT is as effective in treating pain.