What is lower back pain?
Lower back pain can vary in type, intensity, and duration. You may feel a persistent, dull ache, or a sudden pang of sharp pain.
Most of the time, lower back pain is acute, only lasting a few days or weeks. It may subside on its own or with home care. Pain lasting more than 12 weeks is considered chronic. About 20% of acute lower back pain cases turn into chronic pain.
Chances are you’ve felt lower back pain at some point in your life. Lower back pain is one of the top contributors to missed work days, and the leading cause of work-related disability in the United States.
What causes lower back pain?
The team of medical professionals at NYPT Health & Rehab treats acute and chronic lower back pain brought on by a variety of different causes. Some of the more common causes of lower back pain include:
- Traumatic injury, such as playing sports
- Sprains and strains from overstretching or tearing ligaments
- Herniated or ruptured discs
- Sciatica
- Intervertebral disc degeneration
- Spinal stenosis
- Skeletal misalignment
How is lower back pain treated?
NYPT Health & Rehab offers a full range of treatment options for your lower back pain, including:
Acupuncture and cupping
Back pain is the most common reason people seek acupuncture treatment. NYPT’s licensed affiliate acupuncturist uses both needles and cupping techniques to relieve lower back pain.
The needles are painless and help stimulate specific points on your body while cupping increases blood flow and helps your muscles relax through gentle suction.
Massage therapy
Professional massage therapists at NYPT can help ease tension in your lower back while speeding your recovery process.
Physical therapy and chiropractic
Studies show physical therapy to be just as effective as surgery at treating spinal stenosis, without having to undergo a painful and invasive procedure.
NYPT’s chiropractor, John Alexander, DC, can adjust your spine to help relieve any pain caused by misalignment.
Sports medicine
If manual therapy and exercises don’t adequately reduce your pain, NYPT’s sports medicine physician can administer cortisone injections, provide prescriptions, and perform diagnostic nerve conduction study testing as well as blood tests to help get you on the road to full health.
If lower back pain is interfering with your life, call NYPT Health & Rehab or schedule an appointment online today to learn more about how their expert staff can get you back in action as soon as possible.
