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El Paso physical therapy doctors deal with injuries on a daily basis. In the US alone, especially in El Paso, Texas, a lot of people are suffering from back pain. In fact, studies show that at some point, around 80% of the US population were affected by this problem. More information on this can be found at http://www.epmanualphysicaltherapy.com/. There are a lot of factors that could cause back pain and back ache, however, the most common ones include injuries, sprains, lifting heavy objects, poor posture, and sitting for prolonged periods. Fortunately, there are a number of options to treat back pain and visiting a physical therapist is usually recommended.

Aside from lower back pain, shoulder and neck pain are also very common. Oftentimes, those who are suffering from neck pain experience headache and migraines. The reason behind is that, the pain in the neck could trigger headaches, especially if the problem is left unresolved. A lot of patients also complain about the painful feelings in the neck that are sometimes accompanied by sharp pains. Usually, the main cause of this problem is tightened muscles, poor posture, sitting in front of the computer for a long period of time, and inactivity.

Here are the treatments that could relieve back pain, neck pain, and even shoulder pain:

Deep Tissue Massage

A lot of physical therapists utilize this technique because it focuses on chronic muscle tension– the tension in the neck area that often builds up after a long time. Basically, the therapist employs direct pressure, together with friction as a way to release the tension in the soft tissues.

Trans cutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS)

This can be done even at home, especially when the therapist thinks that it’s more ideal. A machine will stimulate the muscles through different intensities of electrical current that can help in reducing muscle spasms. Also, this technique can also improve the production of endorphins– the body’s natural painkiller.

Hot and Cold Therapies

In hot therapy, heat is utilized in order to get more blood to the specific areas, because an increase in blood flow could bring more oxygen and nutrients to the target area. Aside from that, blood is also essential in getting rid of the waste byproducts brought by muscle spasms and tension. That’s why it promotes faster healing.

On the other hand, cold therapy slows down the circulation of the blood and helps in reducing the inflammation, pain, and muscle spams. Oftentimes, the physical therapies will use both methods alternatively.

Ultrasound
An ultrasound can help reduce muscle cramping, spasms, stiffness, swelling, and even pain because it delivers the sound waves into the muscle tissues– promoting better circulation and healing.

Traction
In this form of therapy, the therapist will stretch and mobilize the spine so that the patient will feel less pain and have the ability of moving easily. This can be done either with the use of hands, or a machine.

In the active part of a physical therapy session, the therapist will often teach different ways on how the patient can work his strength, flexibility, range of motion, and stability.

Lastly, in El Paso, Texas, the physical therapy program being recommended to patients are often individualized and the therapist pays a great deal of attention to the person’s health and history.

Learn more at https://www.apta.org/