Balanced Body PT. Is It Back Pain Or Sciatica?

Does life ever feel like one large pain in the back? Back pain is difficult to deal with on a daily basis, yet for so many people, this is a total reality. By certain estimates, as many as 85 percent of adults in the United States struggle with back pain at some point in their lives. The most common type of back pain experienced is in the lower back, and it can happen for any variety of reasons. Being in a car accident can cause you to experience lingering back pain for years after the accident. Accidents at work can lead to similar consequences. But sometimes the cause of your back pain isn’t as straightforward. Back pain can also develop for any number of common reasons — things that you do every day without thinking twice. An old desk chair that doesn’t provide much lumbar support can take its toll over time, as can wearing shoes that don’t have much support, or even gaining weight, particularly around the stomach area.

HEALTH &WELLNESS The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body

INSIDE Understanding Your Back Pain • Free 15 Minute Consultation Exercise Essentials • Staff Spotlight • Patient Success IS IT BACK PAIN OR SCIATICA?

HEALTH &WELLNESS The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body

IS IT BACK PAIN OR SCIATICA?

Too many people consider back pain a normal experience of their lives and don’t immediatelyseeksupport thatcouldmake thepainan issueof thepast.Working withaphysical therapist is,handsdown, thebest thing thatyoucandowhenyou are looking toovercomebackpain.Aphysical therapistcan identify thecauseof thebackpainandpresentyouwithhelpfulstrategiesthatcanstrengthenyourback andreducetheseverityofyourpain.Physicaltherapyforbackpainoften includes acombinationoftargetedmassage,flexibilityandrangeofmotiontraining,muscle building,andtargetedstretchingtechniques.Usingthesestrategies incombination with anti-inflammatory medication, as recommended by your physician, is often consideredthemost-efficientapproachtohandlingbackpainand isrecommended by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.

Does lifeeverfeel likeone largepain intheback?Backpain isdifficulttodealwith onadailybasis,yetforsomanypeople,this isatotalreality.Bycertainestimates, as many as 85 percent of adults in the United States struggle with back pain at some point in their lives. The most common type of back pain experienced is in the lower back, and it can happen for any variety of reasons. Being in a car accident can cause you to experience lingering back pain for years after the accident.Accidentsatworkcan leadtosimilarconsequences.Butsometimesthe cause of your back pain isn’t as straightforward. Back pain can also develop for anynumberofcommon reasons— things thatyoudoeverydaywithout thinking twice. An old desk chair that doesn’t provide much lumbar support can take its tollovertime,ascanwearingshoesthatdon’thavemuchsupport,orevengaining weight, particularly around the stomach area.

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UND E R S TAND I NG Y OUR B A C K PA I N

• The leg pain develops more as a burning, tingling or searing sensation, and not as a plain ache • There is a sharp pain that occurs at times, making it sometimes difficult to stand or walk • Thepain isradiating,shootingdown the legandsometimeseven into thefeet and toes Sciatica pain develops in the nerves that connect the lower back to the legs, and so while the pain itself is generated from the back, a lot of time, the experience of the pain is more largely associated with the upper legs. What’s more, sciatica pain doesn’talwaysdevelop likepain inthetraditionalsense.Sciaticapain insteadcauses a buildup of tingling, numbness and weakness in the lower back and upper legs, and the pain isn’t consistent either.The sensation will typically run through the leg in waves, causing discomfort at seemingly unpredictable times. If you are experiencing back pain and you haven’t talked to a medical professional about the concern, then now is the time to take action. Working with a physical therapist can cut your time struggling with back pain literally in half. For more information about overcoming back pain, contact us. If you’re suffering from back pain or sciatica, call Balanced Body PhysicalTherapy at 318.489.4298 or 318.606.5262 to schedule your appointment today, or visit balancedbodypt.com for more information.

Being educated about your back pain can help you make the right choices to overcome it as quickly as possible. One of the biggest problems with back pain is that it lingers. This leads many people to deal with back pain for years on end without seemingly any end in sight. While there is back pain that develops as a result of strain or sprain, there is also something called low back degenerative disc disease, which happens when the discs in your spine weaken. This frequently develops as a result of repetitive back injury and can also develop as a result of age. With degenerative disc disease, the space between the discs begins to collapse and become unstable and will cause back pain to develop. When you work with a physical therapist to overcome back pain as a result of degenerative disc disease, your physical therapist will begin by strengthening core muscle groups, which includes the abdominal wall, and will provide you with targeted massage and stretching techniques to alleviate pain. Whilesomebackpain iseasyto identifyaspain,suchas isthecasewithdegenerative disc disease, there are other situations in which the pain may be a bit more complicated to understand. One of the most common back issues experienced in the United States is sciatica pain, and this sort of pain is often a lot more difficult to identify — especially by those who aren’t familiar with the problem. How can you tell the difference between back pain and sciatica pain? The answer is that sciatica pain is characterized by the following factors: • Constant pain is only present in one side of the buttocks or leg • The pain becomes worse when you are sitting

E XERC I SE E S SENT I AL S

H E A LT HY R E C I P E SLOW COOKER PUMPKIN OATMEAL

INGREDIENTS

• cooking spray, butter or coconut oil • 1 cup steel-cut oats • 2½ cups water • 1½ cups unsweetened almond milk • 1 cup pumpkin • 3 tbsp maple syrup • 1 tsp vanilla • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice • 1/2 tsp cinnamon • ¼ tsp salt

DIRECTIONS Coat your slow cooker with cooking spray, butter or coconut oil. Add all the ingredients into slow cooker and mix well. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. If you have a programmable slow cooker, set it to cook on low for 7 hours and then switch to warm. In the morning, give the oats a good stir as the oats will settle to the bottom. Portion into a bowl to serve and top with pecans, maple syrup and almond milk. Source: https://www.eatingbirdfood.com/slow-cooker-pumpkin-pie-oatmeal

Piriformis Stretch Sit in a chair with good posture. Cross the ankle of the leg you want to stretch overtop of your opposite knee. Lean your trunk slowly forward until you feel a slight stretch. Hold, then return to the starting position. Repeat 6-10 times as needed.

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PAT I E N T S U C C E S S S P O T L I GH T

C O U P O N C ORN E R

FREE 15 Minute Consultation

“I couldn’t have asked for a team of better people!”

“Rachael, Ashley, Dallenand the rest of theBalancedBodystaff wentabove and beyond to make sure that I was taken care of and got the treatment that I needed. They are all genuinely kind and caring and did a great job helping me to heal and get back to work. I couldn’t have asked for a team of better people to get me through this injury. I am beyond grateful to these caring professionals for everything that they do.”

(801) 293-8888 CALL TO SCHEDULE TODAY!

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Offer valid for the first 20 people to schedule. Expires 10-31-19.

October Is National Physical Therapy Month!

Here are 8 ways physical therapy may benefit you: • 1. Eliminate or reduce pain • 2. Avoid surgery and prescription drugs • 3. Improve mobility and motion • 4. Recover from a stroke • 5. Recover from or prevent a sports injury • 6. Improve your balance and prevent falls • 7. Manage age related issues • 8. Increase muscle strength and stability

Physical therapy helps people of all ages who have medical conditions, illnesses or injuries that limit their regular ability to move.

We are incredibly proud of our employees and the expertise they bring to Balanced Body Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine.

No matter the role compassionate and skilled clinicians, dedicated support staff, caring and efficient physical therapy aides

they all have a passion for excellence which is evident in the amazing service they provide to our patients each and every day!

HAVE YOUMET YOUR INSURANCE DEDUCTIBLE?

An insurance deductible is the amount of money that you must pay before your insurance company pays for your medical services. If your deductible is met, your Physical Therapy may not cost you anything. Patients with family plans or those who have had major surgeries or have a chronic illness are especially likely to have a $0 balance remaining on their out-of-pocket expenses. This means that the cost of physical therapy could be minimal or completely covered by the patient’s insurance plan. If you are close to or have met your insurance deductible for the year, then now is the time to come in for Physical Therapy! Are you feeling aches and pains? Need to work on your core? Let us help you get a head start for 2020. Contact us today to schedule your appointment!

Call 801.293.8888 & Schedule Today! www.balancedbodypt.com

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