Need Help Treating your Back Pain?

In a 2013 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it was found that approximately 29% of Americans, 18 and over, experienced low back pain at least once in the last three months.  According to similar, more recent studies, this number appears to be on the rise as well.  Furthermore, the American Academy of Pain Medicine confirms that low back pain is the most common type of pain reported by patients.

These numbers are probably not surprising to those who live with back pain on a day-to-day basis. Living with any type of pain is hard enough, but back pain is particularly debilitating.  If you or a loved one have been struggling with back pain, changing some of your daily habits may make a great deal of difference.  We’ll discuss some at-home tips for you below, as well as discuss how professional help may be beneficial in relieving your pain.

Common Causes of Back Pain

Before diving into the best ways to treat the back pain Bayonne, Jersey City, and Hoboken residents experience, let’s first discuss the most common causes of this form of pain:

• Over exertion: For example, twisting the spine while lifting heavy objects
• Injury: Sudden actions, like a fall, that may place stress on the back
• Sedentary lifestyle: For example, lack of exercise or poor posture over time
• Excess body weight: Extra weight on the spine and neck

Tips for Combatting Back Pain on Your Own

There are several things you can do on your own that may be able to quell back pain, increase your range of motion, and improve how you feel on a regular basis.

Improve your posture.

Good posture helps place the least amount of strain on your back. When seated, keep your feet flat on the floor, relax your shoulders, and make sure that your lower and middle back are supported. When standing, stay straight-backed, relax the shoulders, and keep the head up.

Get moving.

Start an exercise regimen to get your muscles and joints moving. Great exercises for those with back pain include walking, swimming, cycling, gentle yoga, and tai chi.

Avoid “trigger” exercises.

Lack of exercise can be a frequent cause of back pain, however, not all exercises are equal, and certain movements and actions may prompt pain. Common triggers for back pain include sit-ups, toe-touches in which you bend the lower back, jogging or running, and intensive Pilates.

Try losing weight.

Excess weight on the body can put strain on the spine. Trying a healthy, doctor-approved diet may help you lose unwanted weight and offer relief to your spine.

When the Pain Becomes Too Much

Often, the strategies above are simply not enough for the back pain Hoboken, Bayonne, and Jersey City residents experience.  At The Spine & Sports Health Center, we offer the following types of treatment for back pain:

• Injections: It’s not uncommon for back pain to be caused by an irritated lumbar or cervical disc or a pinched nerve. When traditional pain reduction methods don’t respond well to these issues, injections may be an effective solution. Using high-tech fluoroscopic guidance and gentle sedation or local anesthesia, our physicians offer several types of injections to relieve pain. These include facet joint, epidural steroid, and nerve blocking injections.
• Chiropractic care: Advanced chiropractic care is used as a central tool for treating back pain. This form of treatment focuses on aligning the body’s musculoskeletal structure with the chiropractic adjustment. This is a form of manual, manipulation therapy that is catered to our patients’ direct needs.
• Physical therapy: Many back pain sufferers are primarily concerned with being able to be physically active again. Naturally, this involves breaking the cycle of pain and inflammation, and active and passive physical therapy are great ways to do this.

Active physical therapy techniques include:

• Strengthening exercises
• Postural exercises
• Stretching

Passive physical therapy techniques include:

• Passive stretching
• Myofacial release
• Ultrasound stimulation

• Electrical stimulation

• Acupuncture: This ancient Chinese practice for just about everything is still in common use today as a strategic remedy for back pain. Using extremely small, sterile needles, our licensed and certified acupuncturists pinpoint areas of the body that contain key nerves related to the cause of the pain. By targeting these nerves, they are stimulated to release endorphins, which in turn, may dull pain and relax muscles.

Contact The Spine & Sports Health Center

All of the physicians at The Spine & Sports Health Center are board-certified and trained at the top institutions in New York and Northern New Jersey. When you attend one of our three New Jersey facilities for back pain, your treatment program will be personally designed by these highly trained specialists.

Make your initial consultation appointment with us today for a full, professional diagnosis. We’ll also discuss treatment options with you and make a plan to relieve the back pain Jersey City, Hoboken, Bayonne and surrounding area residents experience.

Give The Spine & Sports Health Center a call today at (201) 535-2474 or simply fill out our contact form here.