Back Pain Treatment: Acupuncture, Chiropractic, and Physical Therapy

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More than 90% of back pain is caused by muscle weakness in the back or the abdomen or both. You can take care of back pain and prevent it from recurring by maintaining correct alignment and good posture into your unconscious patterns that more you through the day and by strengthening the muscle groups that sustain it.Medical experts have found that the reason for lower back pain is especially due to the relentless and abnormal demands made on our backs by modern lifestyle habits. Too much sitting, and slouching around, too little exercise, overweight and chronic stress are some of the reason for occurrence of back pain. Below are some tips to help to prevent and overcome lower back pain.
Acupuncture is one of the oldest, most commonly used alternative or ‘complimentary medical’ procedures in the world. Originating in China more than 2,000 years ago, acupuncture became widely known in the United States in the 1970s. Studies have documented acupuncture's effects, but they have not been able to fully explain how acupuncture works.
Lifestyle, age, physiology and other factors combine to make every person different. A treatment that works for one person may not work for another who has the same condition. You, as a health care consumer (especially if you have a pre-existing medical condition) should discuss acupuncture with your doctor. Do not rely on a diagnosis of disease by an acupuncturist who does not have substantial conventional medical training. If you have received a diagnosis from a doctor and have had little or no success using conventional medicine, you may wish to ask your doctor whether acupuncture might help.
ChiropracticChiropractic is a branch of the healing arts based on the understanding that good health depends, in part, upon a normally functioning nervous system. The spinal column is a key structure in the nervous system as it contains the spinal cord and nerve roots that branch out into the entire body. Chiropractors do not prescribe drugs or perform surgery. Chiropractic treatment involves adjusting the spine to correct vertebral misalignment and imbalance.
Physical Therapy (PT)The treating doctor prescribes PT to treat sprains/strains, muscles spasms, arthritis, and many other back disorders. It is an important component of treatment following spine surgery. The purpose of PT is to help the patient build strength, flexibility, and endurance. PT combines heat/cold therapy, ultrasound, electrical stimulating, and massage with exercise as part of rehabilitation.
ConclusionThe relationship you have with your doctor is important. He (or she) will work to diagnose the cause of your back pain. A proper diagnosis is the first step to develop the right treatment plan for you.
GOOD POSTURE
The first step is to become aware of your body, so that when you're holding yourself stiff, you instantly recognize the tension in your muscles standing or sitting, you should put minimal strain on the muscles of your lower back, by pressuring the spine's natural curve.
MAKE THE RIGHT MOVES
Lift using your leg muscles, not your arms and back. If you need to pick up something heavy, like a grocery bag or a packed suitcase, bend at your knee and lift it, keeping your back straight. Outdoors, use a backpack rather than a shoulder bag, it will distribute your weight more evenly.
LEVEL OF HEIGHT
Bring your work, food or reading to a position that allows you to keep your eyes straight ahead, your head high, and which does not require you to crane your neck forward.
SLEEP RIGHT
Avoid sleeping on your stomach. When the stomach sags downwards, it tends to arch your back, increasing the lumbar curve and your pain. Sleeping on your back can be similarly uncomfortable, for it tends to increase the lumbar curve.Sleeping on the side with legs bent at knees, tends to minimize the spinal stress by straightening the lumber curve. Try placing one or two pillows under your knee, this is known as "lazy S" position, and the pillow under the knee tends to pull your hips upwards, flattening the lumbar curve and reducing the tension in this area.
PRACTICE RELAXATION TECHNIQUES
Practice relaxing your back muscles, when you're sitting in one place for a long time. You can go to WF flexibility exercise to view exercises to stretch your upper and lower back. Hold the stretch for 5-10 seconds and slowly release.
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IDENTIFY FEELING OF EXERTION AND PAIN
It is vital that you distinguish between the feeling of exertion and pain. Pain is a signal from your nerves that what you are doing is wrong for you. When you get such signals, do some mild back exercise that feel comfortable. Try the side slide, knee hug and pelvic tilt.
DROP THE LOAD
If you are overweight, try to loose the extra load on your back. keep at bay the pot-belly that adds to the strain or your back. Begin with cardiovascular exercise for at least 3-5 times a week to shed extra weight. Aerobic, exercise is probably the best kind of exercise for preventing back pain. By getting your heart and lungs to work harder than they are used to, you can reverse the poor physical conditioning that contributes to back pain.
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