Back and Neck Pain
You’re not alone
Back and neck pain are probably the two most common conditions that I treat.
And no wonder!
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a whopping 70% of the population will experience neck pain at some point in their lifetime.
Back pain comes in at an even more unbelievable 80%.
In fact, back pain is the second most common neurological ailment in the U.S. – second only to headache.
Even worse, the NIH goes on to say that in 80% of reported back pain cases, doctors can’t even find a specific anatomical cause. (Baffled physicians label this as “idiopathic” pain.)
So there are literally millions of people suffering every day, and they don’t even know exactly why!
What you don’t know can – and does – hurt you
Even when the doctors do know the anatomical source of your back and neck pain (disc herniation, arthritis, stenosis, and spondylolisthesis), they don’t give you much information about what’s actually causing it.
But the source shouldn’t be some huge secret.
And you shouldn’t be resigned to an x-ray and a muscle relaxant.
There’s a better way
I use the Neurosomatic Approach – an excellent tool for understanding how so-called “idiopathic” soft tissue pain actually develops.
For example, I know that spinal curvature (such as scoliosis) can increase the likelihood of bulging or herniated discs.
And those – as you know if you have them – can create horrific chronic pain.
And even if you have never been diagnosed with scoliosis, it’s very common to have some degree of spinal curvature if you’re experiencing back or neck pain.
And so the slippery slope begins…
If all we do is temporarily treat pain, then we allow the distortion to continue.
When it continues, your condition will likely worsen and so will your pain.
When your pain worsens, you need more medication – something stronger to alleviate it.
And that defeating, debilitating cycle continues.
Other conditions – osteoarthritis, stenosis, spondylolisthesis, and more – behave the same way.
If you don’t actually treat the source (your posture), they just get worse.
It’s time to put a stop to the madness, once and for all.
That’s where I come in.
Targeting the real trouble
Osteoarthritis? Herniated disc?
We start by correcting your posture.
Correcting the curvature of your spine by correctly treating the muscles that support it, is key to alleviating the pressure on the disc that caused the herniation in the first place.
Often, this allows the disc to migrate back to its original position, the local inflammation subsides, and –
Voila! No more pain!
Muscle spasms, strains, or trigger points?
These conditions also go hand in hand with abnormal curvature of the spine.
Add elevated stress levels into the picture…
And you’ve got a perfect storm for them to develop.
In fact, more often than not…
They’re bad enough to cause back or neck pain all by themselves!
They go away – and so does the pain.
Other back and neck issues?
Myofascial release and targeted manual trigger point therapy are part of a powerful one-two punch.
We use these techniques on the offending tissues.
Then, we follow up with corrective exercise to allow you to internalize safer movement patterns.
All better? You bet.
But what if there’s no underlying condition?
Don’t worry.
Even when there is no underlying anatomical condition, the study of posture and soft tissue tension is still a powerful tool in determining the cause of back and neck pain.
Trigger points that refer pain often develop in excessively tight, strained, or compressed muscle tissue, so we’ll treat them.
And you’ll learn how to be kinder to your body so that it serves you better in the long run.
Yogi Berra might have said it best – “You’ve got to be very careful if you don’t know where you are going, because you might not get there.”
Or in other words, “You can’t hit a target that you can’t see!”
Banish the pain. Bring back the pleasure.
Aren’t you tired of hurting?
Isn’t it nice to discover you don’t have to?
Reach out to me today (267) 415-6003 and let the healing begin!