Most low back pain stems from muscles, ligaments or joints and is a common ailment affecting young, old and in-between ages. Spinal pain is rarely caused by a serious medical condition.
For those who experience low back pain, Bryan Boudreaux, DC, and owner of Cajun Spine and Sports in Lafayette, Louisiana says there are remedies that can help.
At Home Remedies
- Stay as active as possible without over doing it.
- Move a little more each day.
- Continue to participate in daily activities and tasks but alter the way you perform them.
- Avoid remaining in one position too long.
Dr. Boudreaux advices checking with a medical doctor to determine which over-the-counter pain medicines will provide the best relief. A doctor can also determine if a stronger medication might be necessary as well as rule out traumatic injury.
“If the pain is so intense that you can’t move around or you have pain radiating from your back to below the knee or numbness in your foot, leg or rectal area, you definitely need to make an appointment with your physician,” says Dr. Boudreaux. “The loss of bowel or bladder control warrants an immediate trip to the ER.”
Numerous treatment options are available to those who find little or no success with at home remedies.
Types of Treatment
- Spinal manipulation
- Specific rehabilitation exercises
- Acupuncture
- Stretching
- Soft tissue therapies
- Electrical modalities
One successful method used by Dr. Boudreaux that is gaining popularity with many chiropractic care givers is ART – Active Release Techniques.
According to its web site, “ART is a patented, state of the art soft tissue system/movement based on massage technique that treats problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia and nerves.”
Conditions that can be treated through ART include:
- Headaches
- Back pain
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Shin splints
- Shoulder pain
- Sciatica
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Knee problems
- Tennis elbow
Over-used muscles can produce tough, dense scar tissue in the affected area, which causes the pain resulting in reduced range of motion and loss of strength. Through the ART sessions, more than 500 specific moves – or protocols – are used to identify and correct the problem. This allows for each chiropractic care giver to individualize treatment sessions based on each patients need. By using his hands, Dr. Boudreaux is able to evaluate the texture, tightness and movement of muscles, fascia, tendons, ligaments and nerves. He then treats the affected area by combining precisely directed pressure with specific patient movements, each working in concert with one another to achieve the greatest results.
“The point of ART is to help each patient help themselves,” says Dr. Boudreaux. “Contrary to typical chiropractic care methods, our goal is to get you well and not have you returned for further treatments. ART can help us achieve that goal.”
Sources:
Cajun Spine and Sport: www.cajunspine.blogspot.com
