Blue Ridge: Don’t Ignore Back Pain

Blue Ridge: Don’t Ignore Back Pain

Health &Wellness The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body

Reel In Sources Of Your Back Pain! DON’T IGNORE BACK PAIN

Do you feel aches and pains in your lower back? If so, you are not alone. Four out of every five Americans will suffer from back pain at some time in their lives. Without proper spine mobility, stability and alignment your back structures wear down over time, similar to tires that are out of alignment. There are many different back conditions, but here are a few common ones: (continued inside)

Health & Wellness The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body

Enjoy Your Vacation Without Pain! DON’T IGNORE BACK PAIN

INSIDE:

• Will Your Back Hurt As You Get Older? • Relieve Back Pain In Minutes • Patient Success Spotlight

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1. Lumbar or sacral radiculopathy: The result of pressure on a nerve exiting the spine. Pain, numbness and tingling can be felt down in different parts of the leg. 2. Sciatica: This comes from compression of the sciatic nerve by a muscle called the piriformis, deep in the buttock. Symptoms can radiate down the buttock and leg. 3. Spinal stenosis: This is a narrowing of the bony spinal canal which causes rubbing or pressure on nerves. Central canal stenosis is quite serious as it presses upon the spinal cord. 4. Lumbar sprain/strain: This is a common cause of low back pain due to injury of muscles and tendons. The rows of muscles that run up and down the sides of the spinal column, are the major muscle groups usually involved in lower back injury.

5. Fractures: Thesearedue to trauma,orsometimes occur without any injury in people with osteoporosis. 6. Spinal cord compression: This is unusual, but very worrisome and may be associated with weakness and loss of bowel/bladder control. Medication and Bed Rest Most lower back pain sufferers try over the counter drugs and bed rest. However, most self-remedies will not provide the relief that you need. In fact, bed rest is the wrong thing to do, because it can weaken the spinal muscles further. Weakness in the spinal muscles is one of the main reasons for low back pain and puts you at risk for injuring your back with common activities such as lifting, bending or squatting. Most of us sit too much and this contributes to severe weakening of the back and torso muscles which are needed for a healthy back.

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www.blueridgephysicaltherapy.com

WILL YOUR BACK HURT AS YOU GET OLDER?

If you think that growing older automatically leads to back pain, here’s some great news; it doesn’t! Many people suffer from pain, yet, they still believe their aches and pains are a natural part of aging. They’re not. Back pain is primarily caused by four main factors: • Spinal muscle weakness • Poor muscle or joint movement • Poor posture • Lack of spinal or pelvic muscle coordination Treating the Cause of Your Back Pain The goal of our SPINE program is to find the root cause of your pain and correct it, not just treat the symptoms. By treating the root cause of the pain, you can achieve faster, long-lasting results. We provide the most advanced and effective treatments to each of our patients in a caring, friendly environment. Our highly trained and skilled physical therapists use proven hands-on therapy techniques to help people of all ages become free of pain and get back to the activities they enjoy. If your back pain prevents you from standing for long periods, bending down to pick up objects, or getting up and down from the floor to play with your children or grandchildren it’s time to come to Northern Physical Therapy and restore your quality of life. Knowing the Right Expert to Help You Physical Therapists are medical musculoskeletal specialists, meaning we are the experts when it comes to the movement of the body and how the muscles, joints and skeletal structure work with one another.

Effective physical therapy experts recognize that the best treatments are not modalities that depend solely on ultrasound, cold or heat therapy, but rather a skilled hands-on approach to examination and treatment. Studies have proven that manual therapy and specific exercises produce better and faster results than traditional exercise based therapy. If you are suffering with back pain or know someone who is, call us today to discover how we can finally help you become pain-free and get back to the activities you enjoy. After all, you’re as young as you feel!

Call us today at 412-278-1221 to schedule an appointment!

DISCOVER HOW TO LIVE PAIN-FREE

Relieve Back Pain In Minutes Try this movement if you are experiencing back pain.

STRAIGHT LEG RAISE While lying or sitting, raise up your leg with a straight knee. Keep the opposite knee bent with the foot planted to the ground. Repeat 6 times on both sides. Stretches Lower Back www.simpleset.net

At Blue Ridge Physical Therapy, you will receive hands-on therapy treatments by our friendly, caring health experts during focused and individualized sessions.

It’s time to go to Blue Ridge Physical Therapy if: • You’re tired of living in pain • You want to feel better and move better • You have been in an auto accident or injored on the job • You want to prevent injury 1. Call and talk to your therapist 2. Discover why your pain has come back 3. Get your custom recovery program

CALL TODAY! (423) 262-0020

ONE ANNUAL HEALTH CHECKUP THAT’S PROBABLY MISSING FROM YOUR CALENDAR

Some health habits are instilled in us at a young age. For as long as you can remember, for example, you made annual treks in the family minivan to both the pediatricianand thedentist.Asyouenteredadulthood,youprobably transitioned to a primary care physician, and maybe even a different dentist better equipped to address adult needs. Anytime you’ve moved or switched insurance carriers, one of your first priorities has been to track down new providers. Now you may even choose to schedule visits more than once a year, when necessary. You probably figure that between the two healthcare professionals, all of your health needs are covered, right? As it turnsout, thesehealthcareprofessionalsaren’tspecifically trained toassess your musculoskeletal system, which is comprised of your muscles, bones, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, joints and other connective tissues. Then who is the righthealthcareprofessional toensure that theseessential internalstructures are working properly and helping to support, stabilize and move your body? A physical therapist.Physical therapistsareeducatedonhowyourmusculoskeletal system functions properly and are trained to identify dysfunctions before they grow into bigger problems. At a yearly physical therapy “checkup,” your PT will gather your medical history and observe as you participate in screening tests and other assessments to establish a baseline of your physical abilities, fitness level and personal health. To maximize the encounter with your physical therapist, it’s important to be prepared before your appointment. To ensure that you cover everything and address any issues you may be having, make a list that includes:

• New activities you’re considering • Fitness goals

The information exchange between you and your PT is critical to forming an ongoing relationship, and to ensuring that you’re functioning and moving at top form. By understanding what sports and recreational activities you’re currently participating in and the fitness goals you’re aiming to achieve, your PT will be better prepared to make recommendations and tailor a home exercise program designed tohelpyouachieveyourgoals.Makingwellnessapartofyoureveryday lifeand takingsteps toensure thatyourmusculoskeletalsystem is functioningat top notch can be very empowering and rewarding. Why not begin—or continue— that journey with a physical therapist? Now that you know how to prepare for a physical therapy checkup, and understand what you can expect during the appointment, the next step is to call and schedule your annual visit.

• Health issues like diabetes or high blood pressure • Current medications, including supplements • Physical fitness activities

Attention Back Pain Sufferers!

Patient Success Spotlight

I am so grateful!

Do You Have Difficulty With Back Pain?

• Decrease your pain • Increase your strength • Increase your activity level • Increase your flexibility • Improve your health • Get back to living We can help:

“ I came in doubled over in pain and hardly able to walk. Kim diagnosed my problem with my back and got to work. I came twice a week to get my back and leg loosened. They used ultrasound, exercises, and soft tissue work to get me back to my daily life. I am so grateful to Kim, Dustin, Mason, and Eddie for the help.” – Susan G.

MentionorBring inThisCouponTodayFora FREE Back Pain Consultation Call Today: (423) 262-0020 Offer valid for the first 25 people to schedule. Expires 06-27-18.