Spinal pain is one of the most common problems seen by physiotherapists. In most cases,
physiotherapy can help, but as in all problems, early assessment and treatment is vital. We at Extra Care
Physiotherapy are working specifically to overcome the spinal problems like neck pain & lower back pain which is
the 2nd commonest problem worldwide.
Prognosis: The longer you have the problem, the more recurrent it is, the further down your
arm or leg the pain travels and the more severe your symptoms, the worse your prognosis. If you have signs of
nerve involvement (weakness in the arm/leg, numbness/ pins and needles in your hands or feet) this may indicate a longer
recovery or a worse outcome.
Diagnosis: In about 80% of spinal pain the exact
diagnosis is not apparent. This means that no-one can tell exactly what structure is injured. Physiotherapists
usually use a biomechanical diagnosis. This identifies areas of the spine and surrounding structures that have
dysfunctional movement. Treatment is aimed at restoring pain free movement and function in the spine. This helps
in the majority of patients.
This helps in the majority of patients.
Is your back out?
A common 'diagnosis' offered to some patients is that their 'back or neck is out'. This is a false
and outdated representation of the true nature of one's spinal pain. Acceptance of this diagnosis should be taken very
cautiously.
Treatment: Physiotherapy management in most cases seems
to be beneficial in helping overcome spinal pain. Using a biomechanical model, electrotherapy modalities such
as long wave, ultrasonic therapy ,Dtrac etc, joint mobilisation/ manipulation, exercises, soft tissue therapy,
traction and patient education can lead to a good outcome. Self treatment strategies are very important.
Dr. Santosh Kumar Upadhyay (P.T.) is specialised in Spine and Manual Therapy in Lucknow. He is one of the best
physiotherapist in Indira Nagar Lucknow.
Medical Treatment: Unfortunately, not all patients
respond to physical therapy. Though knowledge about back problems is not a core part of medical training, your
doctor has access to advanced diagnostic options such as blood tests and advanced radiology (such as CT and MRI
scans). If there are no serious underlying medical problems (such as infection or cancer), the basic medical
tools would be medication, injection or surgery. There is no guarantee these will work in all cases.
A combination of physiotherapy plus medical treatment can be helpful in more difficult cases.
