Back Pain Guide

What's causing my pain?

One thing I tell so many of my patients is: “Back pain is a thief; don’t sit around and let it rob you of your life!” Any back pain sufferer will immediately understand my meaning; when you’re back is killing you, it’s hard to pick up your kids, it’s hard to exercise, it’s hard to be intimate with a loved one, it’s hard to do the things you really live for. Even relaxing pastimes like watching a movie or a day on the grass in the park quickly end up spiraling in misery when your back aches.

So what really causes back pain? Well, it could be any one of a number of traumatic events like a car accident, sports injury, or mistake while lifting a heavy object. It could also be the result of physically manifested mental stress, or of long-term neglect of the supporting muscles and bone structures that sustain the spine and back. In either case, the back pain you feel likely is a symptom of a deeper problem within the physical structure of the back such as a pinched nerve, which can cause pain both in the back arms & legs; a degenerate spinal disc, which can cause bone-on-bone contact of the vertebrae; or an imbalance in muscle toning between anterior, posterior, and lateral muscle groups, which can cause serious muscle strains and ligament pulls.

These are the problems that NY Rehab’s unique incorporative approach is designed to identify and treat effectively. It is this exceptional system of therapy that we attribute our success in getting patients off the treatment table and back to a normal life. Below are a few of the most common methods of treatment we offer to patients with back pain.

What types of treatments are right for me?

Physical therapy - This is the most common form of treatment for back pain, and generally involves one-on-one work with a physical therapist. The goal of the treatment is, through exercise, stretching, and proper body maintenance, to maximize restoration of movement and functional ability to parts of the body not functioning at full potential. Physical therapy at NY Rehab usually involves elements of clinical care, as well as a home fitness plan to ensure that patients are prepared to maintain their improvements. NY Rehab patients use our top-of-the-line Cybex rehab equipment during treatment sessions.

Chiropractic - NY Rehab’s Doctors of Chiropractic focus on detecting and treating disorders, also known as subluxations, of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems. They treat back pain by administering adjustments, or gentle thrusts, to patients’ spinal misalignments. Most often, chiropractors deal with back pain, leg pain, neck pain, joint pain, hip pain and headaches, but they also can apply their expertise in dealing with a wider variety of bodily ailments.

Massage Therapy - Massage has shown to be very effective in reducing the pain and inflammation associated with back pain. This treatment is a hands-on approach that targets muscle spasms and inflamed tissues and joints. Our massage therapists are trained in the most effective methods of finding and soothing sore muscles. Intensity levels during a massage may vary based on needs of patient and what is needed to effectively treat the problem.

Spinal Decompression - Often times back pain originates with slipped, bulging, or herniated discs in the back. At NY Rehab’s Manhattan and Astoria locations, we treat our patients with spinal decompression which is administered by equipment that gently removes pressure on the spine to allow herniated discs the necessary space to re-align with the spine. The treatment releases the pressure placed on nerves in the back by the offending slipped cervical disc(s). The process is comfortable and highly adaptable to each patient’s unique body type.

All three of these services are offered by NY Rehab, Pain Management and Medical Services, P.C., at three locations around New York, except spinal decompression, which is available only at NY Rehab's Manhattan and Astoria locations.