Alberto Said:

What to expect from physical therapy for low back pain?

We Answered:

Expect to spend most of the first visit going through your history and goals. Be prepared to answer questions such as length of onset, types of symptoms, aggrevating and allevaiting factors and how does this affect what you do on a day to day basis. Finally, you will discuss what are your functional goals...what do you hope to be able to do better as a result: stand longer? Sit longer, etc?

Expect to educated on your condition and prognosis and, most importantly, what can you do to help yourself get better.

A physical exam will also be performed which can include any of the following: observation, flexibility and strength screening, a neurological exam (reflexes, sensory testing), pain provocation tests, etc.

Wear something comfortable that will allow the examiner to look/touch your back if needed.

Good luck

Amanda Said:

Help with back pain, cortisone shots/surgery/physical therapy..ect.?

We Answered:

Its rather bad that your disc has collapsed on account of diskectomy. Cortisone basically helps in reducing inflammation if any. In my opinion, though you hate going for it, I guess some sort of prosthetic intervertebral disc may be the best alternative. Yeah, cold, massages an chiropractors do help, but not in the long run. You see, this merely provides symptomatic relief, and with each passing day it might even get worse. Fortunately you do not have any kind of neuropathy. Neverthe less if cortisone doesnt help, I'd rather propose an opioid analgesic. Ask you doctor for his opinion on this one, if the pain is really severe.
It is usually not recommended due to its addictive properties.
But again its just 4 temporary relief.
Since the collapse of your disc, the vertebrae might erode each other fuelling the pain, and in the long run will lead to spodylitis.
I'd advise you to go for a long term solution rather than temporary reliefs. Even if it means surgery.
Take care.

Stacy Said:

what is better for lower back pain chiropractic therapy or physical therapy?

We Answered:

Your typical neurosurgeon or orthopedic surgeon would probably get you an MRI to see if you have some lumbar stenosis from a herniated disk or other potential spine problem. Your average Primary Care Physician may diagnose you with sciatica, placing you on anti-inflamitories and muscle relaxers. Most of the MDs will indicate a chiropractor is crap, but certainly it doesn't hurt to persue all possible methodologies to see which gets you the best relief. As a neurophysiological tech that works daily with spine injuries, I'd recomend (with something so bad that standing or sitting has become painful) you should certainly talk with your primary care physician. If, after any course of action you attempt with your PCP, you still do not find relief, you should certainly request a referal to a specialist (at the very least a pain specialist, if not a spine surgeon) for further evaluation of something that may be progressive and potetially crippling if left unattended. Finally, one could always give a chiropractor a shot, certainly many people have great success with chiropractic manipulation in lieu of going under the knife. Physical therapy could be helpful, if you are hindered by a muscle problem, but is unlikely to help if you have degenerative disk disease or some other physical manifestation that is putting pressure on the spinal cord or nerve roots.

Good luck!

Bill Said:

Why do I have extreme pain in back after physical therapy for whiplash?

We Answered:

Although there are some risks associated with manipulation of the cervical spine (most of the risks being rather minor), pain in the lower back is an unusual one...could it be from the manipulation, itself? Possibly, but back pain can come on at anytime for sometimes seemingly unrelated reasons. Manipulating the cervical spine really has very little effect, if at all on the lower spine...they are just too far away from each other. Perhaps you laid down on the couch after going to therapy, perhaps something happened when you bent over pick up something, perhaps something for which you are completely unaware.

Although I cannot give you any specific advice without knowing more or examining you, what is helpful for many people who are "stuck" like this is to lie on your stomach for a period of about 15 minutes....if it's too painful to lay all the way flat, start with a few pillows under your abdomen and gradually remove them. It might be uncomfortable to do this at first, but if after a few moments, the pain starts to decrease, this is OK.

Pamela Said:

Does Physical Therapy Help Lower Back Pain?

We Answered:

well i am a physical therapist and to tell you the truth, it's crap shoot. if it's chronic back pain, it's difficult to cure. lots of therapists do not know how to treat it correctly, but at the same time, there are a lot of therapists who do know how to treat back pain correctly. you just have to find the right one. so don't go to the one that your parents went to. i would give a therapist 3 sessions tops. if the pain is worse after the first treatment, tell him/her that it is worse (don't just quit the place). see if the therapist could make adjustments to the treatment plan. if after another 2 sessions, if you don't see a change or if it's worse, you have to then find another therapist (even if the therapist is super cool).

unfortunately, heat is a great way to relax the back and help get rid of the pain. of course heat could exacerbate your MS. that is what i would normally recommend but not to you. local heat treatment might be okay, but not totally sure. right now, you might benefit from actually being admitted to a hospital so that a pain management doctor could may be prescribe you something for your low back pain. but at the same time, the hospital has super soft beds (to prevent bed sores) so that might exacerbate your back pain.

if you do go to the hospital, be wary of the therapists at the hospital since they usually do not know how to treat low back pain very well. but of course, i work in the hospital and i have good understanding of back pain. so maybe you'll get lucky. therapists in the hospital are familiar with MS so perhaps they might have good suggestions for you.

if you don't go to a hospital, you could have a home health physical therapist come to your home. you might want to ask your doctor about a therapist coming to your house.

but right now, positioning might be the only thing you can do to try to relieve back pain. i'm thinking that you're pretty much bed bound right now. being in one position for a long time could exacerbate some back pain (not all back pain act the same). some people with low back pain prefer to sleep on a recliner. beds are very important in controlling back pain; if you have an old one or one that you are uncomfortable in, i suggest you get one that is comfortable. but don't just lay in bed; find a comfortable chair to sit in some times.

later, when your MS has calmed down, you might consider pool or aqua therapy. i would ask a therapist in an out patient setting about it. yoga is also known to help many people's low back pain.

i'm really sorry for what you're going through. i don't know if i helped you any, but good luck with getting rid of your back pain.