New Evidence Physical Therapy Benefits Lower Back Pain
Do you suffer from lower back pain? If you do, you are certainly not alone. In fact, the National Institute of Health asserts eight out of ten Americans will suffer from some type of lower back pain, either acute or chronic, in their lifetime. While medication is available for the treatment of lower back pain, this may not always be a viable option. A new study indicates active physical therapy can help individuals attain natural pain relief for lower back pain.
Back Pain and Conventional Treatment
Chronic and acute lower back pain may be caused by several conditions or injuries. Some of the conditions, which may cause lower back pain include:
· Fibromyalgia
· Osteomyelitis
· Spinal degeneration
· Injury
· Herniated disc
· Cauda Equina Syndrome
· Myofascial Pain
· Spinal Stenosis
· Tumors
· Sacroilliitis
While prescription and/or over-the-counter pain medication may be taken for some back conditions causing lower back pain, sometimes individuals either do not respond to such treatment or the medication’s side effects are too much for individuals to handle. Thus, as a new study shows, physical therapy may be a good alternative or additional therapy to conventional treatment.
Physical Therapy for Lower Back Pain
The researchers of the study wanted to determine if individuals who previously participated in active physical therapy benefited more than those who had participated in non-active (passive) physical therapy for lower back pain. Active physical therapy was constituted by active exercising while passive physical therapy was constituted by electrical stimulation, hot/cold treatment, and ultrasound greater than 25% of the time spent in physical therapy sessions.
Four hundred seventy-one individuals took part in the study ranging from age 18-80 years old. One hundred thirty-two patients had received active physical therapy while 339 patients had received passive physical therapy for the treatment of lower back pain.
The researchers discovered patients who had received active physical therapy experienced more successful physical therapy outcomes, fewer physical therapy sessions, lower costs from physical therapy, decreased pain, increased ability to function, and shorter duration of care than those who had undergone passive physical therapy. In addition, the researchers noted those who had passive physical therapy utilized more healthcare services, including office visits, prescription medications, diagnostic procedures, surgical procedures, inpatient hospital stays, and emergency room visits than those who underwent active physical therapy sessions.
It appears that active exercising of the lower back during physical therapy sessions is important in relieving lower back pain. However, it should be noted that this study was a retrospective study, and other studies may need to be conducted in order to further support the benefits of active versus passive physical therapy treatment for lower back pain.
Sources:
National Institute of Health: Medline Plus: Back Pain
Medical News Today: Physical Therapists Offer Low-Cost Solution to High-Cost Expenditures for Acute Lower Back Pain
Web MD: Causes of Lower Back Pain
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