Lower back pain is an ailment, which is long term and continuous in nature. It does interfere with people’s lives across the globe, and reduces the overall quality of life of the patients. Medication and surgery are typical ways of intervention, though physiotherapy could provide a non-pharmacological approach that would help manage and even alleviate lower back chronic pain.
In this blog, I will be highlighting the importance of
physiotherapy in patients with chronic lower back pain, and the advantage of
integrating it as part of the pain management plan.
A patient’s Guide to management of Chronic
Lower Back Pain
The commonly used definition of chronic lower back
pain is that the pain which is present for more than three months. It can be
caused by many factors that include herniated bulb, spinal stenosis,
degenerative disc disease, muscular spasm or pulled muscles. This pain is
different from the sharp and brief type of pain referred to as acute pain,
which alerts the body of an injury, and even though one may be suffering from a
chronic pain, the initial cause is often unknown. These (persistence) may cause
physical complications such as mobility impairment, and affect the emotional
status by leading to depression and anxiety.
How Physiotherapy Helps
Physiotherapy has the main purpose on restoring
movement and functions of individuals through exercise, manual therapy, and
patient education.
Here are some ways physiotherapy can help manage
chronic lower back pain:
1. Personalized Exercise Programs
Physiotherapists thus develop exercise regimes that
involve the identification of areas of discomfort and pain and come up with
exercises that will strengthen the areas. Due to these exercises, the body
muscles strengthen, improve the flexibility and endurance in order to minimize
pains and prevent more injuries. Physical activities that are incorporated into
a routine basis and are specific for patient’s body needs is good for the promoting
the release of endorphin, which is the body’s natural painkiller.
Some effective exercises for chronic lower back pain
include:
§ Cat-Cow
Stretch: This can be a nice, graceful motion that
might ease the muscles and actually impact the flexibility of the chains, or reduce
tension in the spine.
§ Child’s
Pose: A restorative posture that benefits the lower back,
hips and the thighs, relives the back pain.
§ Bridges:
This workout is beneficial for developing the gluteal muscles and lower back
muscles, which are necessary for stabilizing and balancing the spine.
§ Pelvic
Tilts: Can be helpful in making abdominal muscles and reduce
strain on the lower back.
§ Hamstring
Stretch: Stretches the hamstrings, reduces pain in
that area.
2. Manual Therapy
Manual therapy involves hands-on techniques such as
massage, joint mobilization, and manipulation. These techniques can reduce
pain, improve joint function, and increase range of motion. For instance, a
physiotherapist may apply soft tissue mobilization to unplug the tight muscle
or joint mobilization to enhance the mobility of a particular joint that is
restricted.
3. Pain Education
It is often said that knowing your enemy is knowing
half the battle, and, in the case of pain, identifying the different types and
their characteristics is something anyone would be glad to know.
Physiotherapists share information with the patient about pain, precautions or possible
causes that patient might be experiencing it and how to address it correctly. This
education can empower patients, reduce fear and anxiety, and promote active
participation in their treatment plan.
4. Modalities
There are many treatments, which can be applied to
alleviate pain, for example, heat therapy and cryotherapy, ultrasound and
electrical stimulation. These treatments help in diminishing inflammation,
helping the blood flow, and stopping the pain signals for some time and aiding
in the other physiotherapy approaches.
The advantages of physiotherapy for patients
with Chronic Lower Back Pain.
Incorporating physiotherapy into patient’s chronic
lower back pain management plan offers numerous benefits:
§ Non-Invasive
Treatment: Physiotherapy orientates toward
non-surgical and non-pharmacological intervention, reducing the possibilities
of negative effects and adverse reactions.
§ Holistic
Approach: Physiotherapy is not exclusive to the
area wherein the pain is being consciously felt. Since this is a causal chain
approach it can be effective in improving overall health status and well-being
of the users.
§ Improved
Mobility and Function: Exercise to gain muscle strength,
flexibility as well as joint movement can also be helpful, which is done by
physiotherapy to regain movement and independence.
§ Long-Term
Pain Relief: Physiotherapy might be used in chronic
pain cases, wherein In addition to education and exercise, manual therapy
commonly employed in physiotherapy can completely eliminate pain and prevent it
from recurring.
§ Enhanced
Quality of Life: The use of good pain management to
alleviate pain really increases sleep, reduces and even helps in improving
quality of life.
Conclusion
Lower back pain is one of the challenging patient
complaints to address due to the long-term nature of the condition, and while
physiotherapy shows a lot of potential as a treatment method for this complaint.
Using evidenced-based approaches and strategies, physiotherapy aims at
eradicating pain, enhancing motor function, and promoting patient autonomy,
which can be critical for people to live a better and healthier life.
If you are or your close one is suffering from lower
back pain that lasts for a long time, it is wise to visit a physiotherapist and
discuss about the available treatment plans. It is important to know that
chronic pain can be managed with the right care along with a healthy living
that leads to an active life.
Check out more health blogs and other physiotherapy
insights as well as find out how our team at Physio Prisma can assist you in
improving your quality of physiotherapy prompted health.
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