Back/Neck Pain

 

 

BACK PROBLEMS EXPLAINED

Facts:

  • 50% of working Canadians admit to having back pain at some point in any given year
  • Back pain is one of the most common reasons for missed work, and is the third most common reason for visits to the doctor's office in Canada
  • Most causes of back pain are mechanical or soft tissue in origin, meaning that they are not caused by a serious medical condition
  • It is estimated that 80% of the population will experience an episode of back pain at some point in their lives

 

Causes of Back Pain:

Lower Back Pain can be caused by a number of different conditions.  If you experience back pain it is more than likely that it will fall into one of the following categories:

  • Disc herniation or disc bulge
  • Disc degeneration
  • Osteoarthritits
  • Nerve entrapment
  • Back joint sprain
  • Back muscle strain
  • General back and abdominal weakness
  • Overuse pain
  • Poor posture

 

What Can you Do?

Regardless of the cause of your back injury or back pain, a physiotherapist at Nepean Orthopaedic Physiotherapy Clinic can help you get better in a variety of ways, such as:

  • Teach you exercises to improve your abdominal and low back muscle strength, improve your core stability, and to stretch out tight back muscles
  • Give you advice on making changes to your normal activities to prevent re-injuring or further irritating your back
  • Advise you on an overall exercise program to make you more fit and strong in order to help you avoid injuring your back again
  • Advise you on improving your posture, work positioning and ergonomics
  • Provide treatment with electric currents, ultrasound, heat, ice and acupuncture to help reduce inflammation and pain
  • Perform manual, hands-on treatments to help loosen tight joints and muscles
  • Manual or mechanical traction to reduce pressure on joints, discs and nerves

At Nepean Orthopaedic Physiotherapy Clinic our goal in treating your low back pain is to get you back to your leisure, sports and working activities as soon as possible, and to get you on a program that you can continue independently to prevent re-injury.

[Back to "BACK PROBLEMS EXPLAINED"]   

[Back to top]

 

NECK PROBLEMS EXPLAINED

 Facts:

  • Neck pain affects approximately 10% of the population at any given point in time
  • Approximately 50% of the population will have suffered from neck pain at some point in their lives
  • The prevalence of neck pain is far higher in individuals who have been involved in a car accident, suffered a neck injury such as whiplash, or a head injury

 

  Causes of Neck Pain: 

The neck is a very complex structure that holds many important connections to our brain and the beginning of the spinal cord.  There can be numerous causes of neck pain, but they may include one of the following:

  • Traumatic injuries such as whiplash
  • Problems with disc bulges or nerve entrapments
  • Neck joint injuries or sprains
  • Neck muscle injuries or strains
  • Poor postural habits
  • Overuse and over work
  • Weak neck stabilizing muscles

 

Whiplash

Whiplash occurs from an injury to your neck, which is caused by the head being thrown forward then backward.  It may also be called a neck sprain or strain, and is a generalized injury to the soft tissues (muscles, ligaments, tendons) of the neck.  It most often occurs as a result of rear-end car collisions, but can also happen from a fall or sports injury.  Severe whiplash can also involve injury to the joints, discs, neck muscles and nerves.

Symptoms of whiplash may start right after the injury or may take several days to become noticeable.

After an accident, some common symptoms of whiplash can include: 

    • Neck stiffness and pain
    • Loss of movement of the neck
    • Headaches and dizziness
    • Jaw pain
    • Difficulty eating or chewing
    • Burning, tingling or prickling sensations in the neck and down the arm
    • Shoulder and upper back pain

 

Did you know?

Many studies have shown that the biggest risk associated with whiplash injuries is to not receive proper treatment promptly enough.  This can lead to improper healing where the injured tissues tighten up and gradually get weaker. The longer this goes on, the harder it is to get better, which is why it is extremely important to consult with a qualified physiotherapist as quickly as possible following a neck injury.

 [Back to "NECK PROBLEMS EXPLAINED"]     

  

What Can You Do?

Regardless of the type of neck injury you may have suffered, the physiotherapists at Nepean Orthopaedic Physiotherapy Clinic can provide you with a number of treatment options, including: 

  • Treatments to reduce pain, which may include manual, hands-on traction, mobilizing, stretching and massage; the use of ultrasound, electrical currents, heat, ice, and acupuncture
  • Exercises to help strengthen your neck muscles, stretch tight areas, and improve posture
  • Advice on activity modification

 

Our philosophy at Nepean Orthopaedic Physiotherapy Clinic is to get you better as quickly as possible and provide you with all the tools you need to prevent injuries in the future.

Nepean Orthopaedic Physiotherapy Clinic proudly serves Nepean, Bells Corners, West Ottawa, Kanata, Stittsville, and surrounding areas. 

To book an appointment with a Physiotherapist, or for any questions about fees, please call (613) 820-8132.

[Back to "NECK PROBLEMS EXPLAINED"]

[Back to "BACK PROBLEMS EXPLAINED"]

[Back to top]