An estimated 80% of Americans experience back pain at least once during the year. Back pain can be acute (short-term pain), chronic (long-term pain), or the result of an injury.
When it comes to making the decision of how to treat your back pain, there are many different elements to consider. If the pain persists past the point of being acute, the two likely options for treatment are either physical therapy or surgery. The decision is often made on a case-by-case basis depending on factors such as age, medical history, weight, and severity of the condition. What works for you won’t necessarily for everyone.
Treatment for back pain via surgery is usually an extreme case. The largest benefit of undergoing surgery is that doctors have the ability to get a better look at the impacted area. What surgeons see during an operation is clearer than an X-ray or MRI. This means they can make direct changes to help you depending on the condition that your body is in.
Before committing to surgery, a doctor will usually recommend physical therapy. Physical therapy is non-invasive and does not require heavy pain medications the same way that surgery does.
Physical therapy is usually more personalized toward your body and the specific pain you are feeling. The physical therapist works with you to strengthen the right muscles and manage your pain. Another large benefit of physical therapy is the education factor; physical therapy teaches you to change your habits and strengthen your body to prevent similar injuries down the road.
Often, physical therapy and surgery do end up working together as a recovery method. This can occur if it is determined that the back’s condition is too severe to recover through physical therapy and needs surgery. However, if a patient were to go right into getting surgery, part of the recovery and healing process would be to attend physical therapy.
Experiencing back pain? Call Activity First and our team of experienced physical therapists can help to create a treatment plan that works for you!