One of the worst things one can suffer is pain in the neck and or back.  This debilitating pain causes the sufferer difficulty in doing the most basic tasks like walking around or bending over.  In many cases, the rememdy is invasive surgery that can be quite costly, and result in your body never feeling quite the same.

At Pain Solutions & Physical Therapy, Inc. we provide you with an alternative to surgery by using the most cutting edge methods to alleviate your back or neck pain without causing excessive interruption to your daily life.

Conditions which can be treated by our professionals include but are not limited to:

Intractable Lower Back Pain

Those experiencing Intractable Lower Back Pain may have several options to reduce soreness.  There are prescription and non-prescription medications available.  Other treatment options may include physical therapy to address these pain issues.  Lower Back Pain that is not given appropriate attention either by the individual or by intervention and help of a physician or therapist, could lead to sleeping difficulties, depression, and limitations in activities of daily living.

The sooner you get relief from the pain, the sooner you and your healthcare providers may be able to discover its source.  If there are any possible complications to your Lower Back Pain, your physician or therapist can immediately recommend you for proper treatment.  Diagnosing Lower Back Pain and its cause may also involve Diagnostic Imaging and thorough examination by a therapist.  The goal is to help you reduce the pain and subsequent physical restrictions, thus improving your quality of life.

Sciatica

Sciatica is caused by compression or soreness in one of five spinal never roots affecting the sciatic nerve.  Symptoms can include pain in the lower back area, buttocks, thighs, legs and feet.  There may also be some muscular weakness and numbness present with this condition.  Because of these symptoms, individuals who have sciatica may experience difficulty in mobility or leg control.  This condition can be even more severe in cold weather.

While its symptoms may be similar to other ailments, sciatica is medically defined to be a set of symptoms involving lower back and leg aches.  It is recommended that individuals experiencing such symptoms visit a physical therapist or their physician for an assessment.

If diagnosed with Sciatica, treatments to eliminate the cause of the pain, which may include removal of a portion or the entire herniated disc, may help to relieve the pain.  In many cases, Elective Surgery is used to treat Sciatica.  However, recover progression may differ from patient to patient, and physicians generally recommend physical therapy to aid in a patient’s recovery.

Herniated Disc

A Herniated Disc could be the cause for pain in the leg and back.  It could also cause weakness in the lower extremity muscles.  By definition, a Herniated Disc is when the cushion on the spinal vertebra is dislocated from its designated spot.  This dislocation gives rise to problems concerning the spinal nerves, a result of the compression of the spinal cord and nerves.

Symptoms of a herniated disc can include pain (like being electrocuted), tingling in the muscles and joints, muscle weakness or numbness and sometimes bowel or bladder problems.

The treatment plan following a diagnosis of a herniated disc will depend on the results of the physical examination, x-ray and MRI.  These are important bases for physicians and therapists to cover prior to recommending a recovery program to relieve the patient from pain, and often prevent further health complications.

Spasms

Spasms are most commonly known as involuntary muscle contractions.  When these occur in the neck and back, it might be a symptom of many health conditions.  When infrequent, it may only be the result of fatigue and may be relieved through rest.  However, when frequently experienced, spasms could be indications of more serious underlying causes.

It is advisable to seek the assessment of physicians and/or therapists since frequent spasms could be more than just an effect of bad posture.  It could be an indication of an injury, or a herniated or degenerative disc.

Your therapist may recommend you for treatment if any health complications give rise after the assessment.  Since prevention has always been better than any form of cure, spasms may be avoided by regular exercises, stretching, maintaining good posture during lengthy work hours and most importantly, ensuring your sleeping position does not stress your neck and back.  You can also visit a sleep clinic for an assessment.

Spinal Stenosis

Numbness, stinging pains, pins and needles, and difficulty in mobility can be symptoms of Spinal Stenosis.

Spinal Stenosis is caused by a narrowing of the spinal canal.  The spinal canal is the opening in each vertebra which assembles the passages of the spinal cord.

Spinal Stenosis could cause neurological deficits.  Treatment varies depending on the progression of the condition and the severity of pain experienced by the individual.  Like all other Pain Symptoms, it is  advisable to receive medical treatment as soon as possible.  Lack of timely medical attention resulting in a diagnosis completed beyond the recoverable period may lead to critical mobility deficiencies.

Radiculopathy

Contrary to common notions, Radiculopathy is not a health condition.  It is actually an indication of a problem involving the inability of nerves to function.  This can include pain or radicular pain, muscular weakness, numbness and lack of muscle control.  While the pain may manifest on specific areas of the leg, arm, neck or back, the actual pain source is not the body part itself.  In a radiculopathy, the actual problem is near the root of the nerve which forms the pain by extension.  For instance, an impingement on the neck could result in pain in the shoulder area and consequently the forearms – parts of the body supplied with nerves from tha nerve root.

To describe multiple cases, it is referred to as polyradiculopathy where two or more spinal nerve roots are affected and thus causing pain in several neighboring areas.  As far as treatment goes, it is focused on restoring the normal function of the nerve root.  The therapist or physician may recommend the patient  receive physical therapy, medication and a rest regimen to facilitate recovery.

Numbness or Tingling Sensations

Any part of the body is subject to feeling numbness or tingling sensations.  Oftentimes, the affected parts are our fingers, feet, toes, arms, legs and hands.  Feeling numbness or tingles in such areas may be normal – an effect of sitting in the same position for a long time, or standing and putting weight on one leg for too long.  It might also mean that a recent injury is feeling stress or an injury hasn’t fully recovered yet.  Other circumstances that result in numbness or tingling may be pressure on the nerves.  When felt at increasingly abnormal frequencies, numbness or tingling sensations could be an indication of enlarged blood vessels, tumors, scar tissue, shingles or an infection.

If numbness or tingling sensations are paired with loss of motor control, you should immediately call for emergency assistance.  If there are signs of spasms, dizziness, slurred speech or blurred vision, calling promptly for medical support is the most prudent action to take.

Scoliosis

Sometimes, a person’s spine may have a curved shape instead of its normal form.  This is a medical condition that is referred to as Scoliosis.  It is a complex deformity that is most noticeable when viewed from the rear via an x-ray of the spine.  The shape of the spine is likely to form a letter “C” or an “S”.

Scoliosis is either acquired congenitally (at birth), idiopathically (from an unknown cause at the onset of a life stage during infancy, puberty, or adulthood), or through neuromuscular causes – as an effect of other conditions like spina bifida, cerebral palsy, spinal muscular atrophy or some form of physical trauma experienced at birth or a certain stage in a lifetime.

Individuals who have scoliosis may experience lung problems, heart conditions and limited capacity to do physical activities.  Treatment, of course, is considerable.  Many individuals who have scoliosis can turn to their physician or therapist for medical attention.  Some of the approaches that may be taken range from physical therapy, occupational therapy, and chiropractic therapy, to casting and bracing.  For severe cases, a medical practitioner may recommend the patient for surgery.

SI Dysfunctions

SI Dysfunctions are also referred to as Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction in the medical community.  It is characterized by lower back pain.  This condition may be caused by several factors such as pregnancy, or a possible unevenness or abnormal alignment of the legs.  Several studies have been inconclusive in pinpointing a definite factor or set of factors that cause SI Dysfunctions.  The only obvious indication that warrants an assessment by a physician or a therapist is pain that is focused on the patient’s lower back area.

While symptoms can be irritating to the individual with SI Dysfunctions, it is seldom considered to be dangerous.  In fact, very few cases of SI Dysfunctions are recommended for surgery.  The pain symptoms concerning SI Dysfunctions can be addressed through therapy and nonsurgical methods.  Medication can also be a way to address this condition, where the physician will prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce pain in the joints of these patients.

Surgical procedures may be a possible avenue for physicians to take, although as a last resort.  The surgery involves fusing the SI joint together with the use of plates and screws until the two bones are fused into one.  The patient will undergo a lengthy recovery period and will be closely observed and monitored by the therapist to ensure their safety, and to prevent possible complications that might worsen the health of the patient.