back pain - Synergy Rehab & Wellness

Are You In Need of Physical Therapy? These 5 Signs Say Yes

Physical Therapy Can Help You Find the Relief You’ve Been Looking For!

Physical therapy is a highly beneficial form of treatment that can address many of the most common sources of pain.

However, there are many people who don’t realize that the pain they are experiencing is something that can be easily addressed with physical therapy.

Our innovative care strategies at Synergy Rehab & Wellness will help you find quick relief. If you are experiencing any of the five common symptoms listed here, then it may be time to consult with a physical therapist as far as the best ways to address your pain and discomfort.

1. Headaches

Regular, recurring headaches are another complaint that can be addressed with physical therapy.

In many situations, chronic headaches are a sign of tension in the neck and back, and therefore working with a physical therapist through targeted stretching and massage can in many cases actually reduce the occurrence and severity of these headaches.

2. Back pain

Back pain is one of the biggest causes of pain among American adults, and there are far too many who struggle with back pain who are not doing anything about it.

The reason for the increase in back pain can be blamed on all sorts of different environmental factors, from rising obesity rates to a dependence on computer-based office work that leaves adults in uncomfortable chairs for hours on end, day after day.

Physical therapy can help to address the cause of your back pain, and help to alleviate tension in the back, thereby actually reducing the experience of pain.

3. Neck pain

Neck pain can develop for a series of reasons, including following an injury or car accident, but also as a result of poor posture — and that includes your posture while you are asleep, as well as awake.

Neck pain can be difficult to cope with and treat, and attempting to treat neck pain on your own isn’t always safe.

An experienced physical therapist can identify the cause of your neck pain and create a treatment program that will alleviate your experience of pain.

4. Joint pain

Joint pain can develop as a result of arthritis, or as a lasting effect of an injury. The best way to deal with joint pain is to seek support through physical therapy.

Your joints are something that you can’t really work around, and in more cases than not, attempting to rely on another part of your body to reduce pain in your joints will only lead you to experience multiple areas of pain.

5. Difficulty with movement

There is a long list of reasons as to why someone may be unable to move as effectively or efficiently as they could in the past.

In many cases, stroke victims will find themselves unable to take regular steps and walk as they once were able to do, and even after the pain subsides, the difficulty moving may remain.

Likewise, those who struggle with an athletic related injury are often prone to having limited range of motion — and this is especially true following surgical repair of muscle tissue and tendons.

Physical therapy can help you to retrain your body for traditional movement.

A physical therapist can tell you why you’re experiencing pain

Your first visit with a physical therapist will involve a conversation about your symptoms and medical history, as well as some simple tests. Be prepared to answer questions about past injuries that may be contributing to your current aches and pains.

Your diet, exercise routine and daily activities will also be discussed. This is to give your therapist an idea of the possible cause or causes of your aches and pains.

You will then be given a series of tests, based on your description of your symptoms. These will involve posture and range of motion exercises, and possibly some strength and resistance tests.

When your therapist knows where you are experiencing aches and pains and has determined the likely causes, your personalized physical therapy treatment plan will be drawn up.

According to ChoosePT, the 4 ways physical therapists help you relieve pain include:

Exercise
Manual therapy
Education
Teamwork

We can help determine the root cause of your pain and treat it at its source. Contact us today to learn more!

Contact us for relief!

These are just five of the most common symptoms that can be addressed with physical therapy, but the list goes on and on.

Whether you are experiencing pain following a car accident or sports injury, or have realized that the pain in your back or neck has become more constant than you first expected it to be, it may be time to consult with a physical therapist as to the best way to deal with your pain.

Contact Synergy Rehab and Wellness to set up a consultation.

So You’ve Been Having Back Pain… Could it be Caused by a Herniated Disc?

Something is terribly wrong with you, but you’re not quite sure what it is. Strange neck pains, back pains, or extremity symptoms can indicate a variety of potential problems — including one or more herniated discs. How can you tell for sure whether you have this specific problem? If you do have a herniated disc, what can you do about it? These questions don’t have to add confusion and frustration to your physical woes. Here are some helpful tidbits of information from our physical therapist about herniated discs, their common symptoms, and how physical therapy can you overcome your distress.

What Is a Herniated Disc?

“Herniated disc,” “slipped disc,” and “ruptured disc” are all just different ways of describing the same physical problem. Your spinal discs are squat discs of tissue that lie between the vertebrae. A disc consists of a fluid-filled center called the nucleus pulposus encased in an outer structure called the annulus fibrosus. This arrangement makes the disc both tough enough and spongy enough to absorb shocks.

Unfortunately, that toughness has its limits. Sometimes a disc will lose hydration over time, causing the nucleus pulposus to shrink. The disc loses its height, which stresses the spinal joints and may cause the disc to bulge outward. Eventually these changes can cause part of the annulus fibrosus to balloon and tear open; this is herniated disc. Herniated discs can also occur suddenly due to an auto accident, workplace accident, or sports injury that traumatizes the spine.

Telltale Signs and Revealing Tests

Herniated discs don’t always cause symptoms, but the symptoms that they do cause can help you troubleshoot the nature of your problem. The most common symptoms include:

Neck pain (if it’s a cervical disc)
Back pain that seems to grow worse when you sneeze, cough, stand up or sit down
Pain, tingling, or loss of sensation in a limb (the result of a herniated disc pressing against nerve roots)
An inability to walk more than a few steps without pain
Symptoms that started shortly after an accident, extreme twisting of the neck or back, or an attempt to lift a heavy object
Symptoms that began after you gained a lot of weight (since obesity is a risk factor for disc problems)

If your symptoms seem to be soothed by massage, heat, or cold, you’re more likely to have a strained muscle or tendon than a herniated disc. Ultimately, the most accurate way to confirm a herniated disc is through medical imaging. X-rays can reveal not only the abnormal shape of a herniated disc, but also whether the herniation is pinching a nerve.

Physical Therapy to Help You Treat Your Herniated Disc

A herniated disc can cause a lot of misery — but don’t panic. Most herniated discs can be treated successfully without surgery. Physical therapy can be instrumental in helping you reduce or eliminate your symptoms. Our physical therapist can recommend specific exercises to build up the strength in your back or neck. These exercises can counter any atrophy or weakness you’ve experienced due to your herniated disc. They can also reinforce your neck and back, lending these structures extra support and making them less vulnerable to future herniation. We may also recommend other non-invasive techniques to complement your physical therapy exercises and help you heal.

Are you ready to learn more about herniated discs and get the answers to your neck or back needs? Contact Synergy Rehab & Wellness Center today at our Verona, VA, or Waynesboro, VA location – to schedule a consultation with a physical therapist today!

Posture Perfect: How to Correct Your Back Pain

If you suffer from back pain, you’re in good company. In fact, the most commonly reported area of pain is the back. According to one longitudinal study, 3% of all emergency room visits between the years of 2004-2008 were due to back pain or injury. An estimated 25 million Americans suffer from chronic pain, many of whom experience that pain in their back. Back pain can be limiting in numerous ways, and many people with chronic back pain also have a disability that makes it difficult for them to perform their daily tasks. While this is undeniably frustrating and uncomfortable, physical therapy can help get you back to your normal functioning, pain-free life! For more information on how we can help you eliminate your back pain, give Synergy Rehab & Wellness in Staunton and Waynesboro, VA a call today.

Why do I have back pain?

If you are suffering from persistent back pain, there is a good chance it is due to your posture. Poor posture is one of the most common causes of back pain. Do you slouch at your desk? Do you lean forward to read emails? Do you hunch over your keyboard? These are all things that people do subconsciously, without even realizing the toll it takes on the body.

Your posture affects how your body moves – whether you’re sitting, standing, walking, running, jumping, or performing pretty much any other task throughout the day. Your posture may also change depending on what you are doing – perhaps your posture when you stand is perfect, but when you sit at a desk or lay down, your body begins to hunch and fold in ways that it is simply not supposed to.

How did I develop poor posture?

Poor posture isn’t anything to be embarrassed about – very few people have perfect posture, and most people partake in bad posture habits in one way or another. We become so wrapped up in whatever tasks we are doing that we forget to think about the way our bodies are positioned. Maybe you’re completing a project at work, it’s the end of the day, you’re tired, and you’re slouched sideways in your desk chair with one eye on the monitor and the other on the clock. This position isn’t normal for your body, but you are getting in the position most efficient for you to type up the rest of that file and then zoom out the door.

Poor posture isn’t due to laziness or apathy; rather, it generally has something to do with a physical weakness within our bodies. We slouch, slump, hunch, and droop over when we get feel drained because our bodies literally get tired of holding us up.

Even if you exercise regularly, it is possible that there are still a few weak muscles contributing to your posture that you may not even realize. The muscles in your shoulders, back, abdomen, buttocks, and pelvic floor all play an important role in your posture. If even one of these is weak, your core will be affected, and your posture may suffer.

How will physical therapy help me regain proper posture?

Physical therapy is a great way to regain normal posture. Physical therapists are experts in movement and they are great resources to have when trying to achieve your physical performance goals. They will aid you in the improvement of your balance, stability, flexibility, and mobility, all of which will positively affect your posture.

At your initial evaluation, our physical therapist will perform functional testing and diagnostic imaging in order to identify which weakened areas of your body are causing your back pain. Afterward, they will create a customized treatment plan, tailored to your specific needs. This plan will focus on improving your posture, increasing strength, and (most importantly) relieving pain.

If you are experiencing back pain, your posture may be to blame. Fortunately, our advanced team of physical therapists is ready to help you begin your journey toward long-lasting pain relief. Find out for yourself why physical therapy is one of the most effective ways to address your back pain and start on the road to recovery. Contact Synergy Rehab & Wellness today to schedule a consultation, and figure out how physical therapy can help make you “posture perfect!”

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