Neurosurgery & Spine Consultants

Back Pain

Five Exercises for Upper and Middle Back Pain

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Upper and middle back pain is not as common as lower back or neck pain because the bones, disks, muscles and ligaments do not need to flex as much. Instead, these areas help the ribcage support the back, keep it stable and protect vital organs like the heart and lungs.

Common causes of upper and middle back pain

Even though lower back pain is more common, many people experience upper or middle back pain caused by:

  • Aging
  • Overuse, muscle strain or injury
  • Incorrect or poor posture
  • Excess pressure on the spinal nerves
  • Bone fracture
  • Arthritis
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Osteoporosis
  • Herniated disks
  • Scoliosis
  • Obesity

Five exercises to alleviate upper and middle back pain

Certain exercises will help improve your posture, decrease your risk for injury and reduce pain. Start by stretching, then try these five easy exercises to stretch and strengthen the muscles in your back, shoulders and stomach:

Upper back exercises

  • One-arm dumbbell row
    Choose a flat bench, place your right leg on top of the bench and bend your torso until it is parallel with the floor. Next, place your right hand on the other end of the bench and hold a weighted dumbbell in your left. With your torso stationary, exhale as you pull the dumbbell up to the side of your chest while keeping your arms close to your body. Breathe out as your slowly return your arm to the starting position. Complete three sets of ten, alternating sides.
  • Face pull
    Secure a resistance band to a stable surface above eye level and grasp each end of the band using an overhand grip. Next, pull the band directly toward the face while flaring your elbows out to the sides and squeezing your shoulders together. Complete three sets of ten.
  • Reverse dumbbell fly
    Using lightweight dumbbells, stand with your torso bent at a 45-degree angle and your arms hanging down. Next, keep your neck neutral and your eyes down as you lift your arms to the sides and up. At the top of the movement, squeeze your shoulders together. Complete three sets of ten.

Middle back exercises

  • Superman
    Lay on your stomach with your arms and legs fully extended. While keeping your neck neutral, lift your arms and legs off the ground at the same time using your back and glute muscles. Complete three sets of ten.
  • Cat cow
    Start on all fours with your palms directly below your shoulders and your knees directly below your hips. Draw your navel up toward your spine and lower your head to relax your neck. Hold this position for three to five seconds and then return to a neutral position. Next, look up while lowering your back toward the floor. Hold this position for three to five seconds and repeat the entire sequence five times.

It’s important to consult with your physician before beginning this or any exercise routine.

If you’re interested in learning more about effective exercises for upper and middle back pain, contact Neurosurgery & Spine Consultants at 210-255-8935. We specialize in nonsurgical pain treatments in the San Antonio communities of Medical Center, Stone Oak, Westover Hills and Southwest.

Is There a Cure for Scoliosis?

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Scoliosis is an abnormal curve in the spine that may or may not cause discomfort. It typically occurs between ages 10 and 15 during growth spurts. Boys and girls are equally diagnosed with minor idiopathic scoliosis, but spinal curves in girls are 10 times more likely to worsen and require treatment.

While there is no cure for scoliosis, the symptoms can be significantly reduced with treatment.

What are some common causes of scoliosis?

While the cause of scoliosis remains unclear in the majority of cases, some types of scoliosis do have clear causes. In nonstructural scoliosis, the spine works normally but has a curved appearance. Common causes of nonstructural scoliosis include:

  • One leg is longer than the other
  • Muscle spasms
  • Appendicitis

Once treated, nonstructural scoliosis often goes away.

In structural scoliosis, the curve of the spine is rigid and cannot be reversed. Common causes of structural scoliosis include:

  • Cerebral palsy
  • Muscular dystrophy
  • Birth defects
  • Infections
  • Tumors
  • Marfan syndrome
  • Down syndrome

What treatment options are available for nonstructural scoliosis?

While scoliosis cannot be prevented, it can be treated if it’s diagnosed early. In order to diagnose scoliosis, your doctor will need to look at the alignment of your spine. If it shifts to the left or right, they will order x-rays to confirm their diagnosis. Treatment options for scoliosis include:

  • Physical therapy
  • Back bracing
  • Injections to manage pain
  • Minimally invasive spinal fusion surgery (used only as a last resort)

Some types of scoliosis are caused by an abnormality elsewhere in the body. Treating the abnormality treats this particular type of scoliosis. In these cases, no direct treatment of scoliosis is necessary because the spine is normal and will straighten once the abnormality is corrected.

If you or a loved needs expert treatment for scoliosis in or around San Antonio, contact the skilled physicians at Neurosurgery & Spine Consultants. We specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of structural deformities, like scoliosis, andwork together to provide the relief you need, as fast as possible, while taking a cautious approach to surgery.

Can Physical Therapy Help Spine Pain?

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When you’re struggling with acute or chronic spine pain, it can be tempting to stay in one place all day—however that’s only a prescription for more pain. The best thing to do is get up and get moving despite how unappealing it may sound. In fact, regular exercise and physical therapy is one of the best ways to help relieve spine pain.

Physical therapy is used to treat disease, injury or pain by physical methods like stretching, massage, heat treatment and exercise—rather than by medications or surgery. The goal of physical therapy is to make every day activities, like walking and climbing stairs, easier.

For those who struggle with chronic back or spine pain (e.g., pain lasting three to six months or more), physical therapy is often recommended to decrease pain, increase function and help prevent future recurrences. NSC’s in-house Physical Therapy team collaborates with your doctors to ensure that each treatment plan is individualized to meet your goals. You will be surrounded by the entire NSC team to ensure a fast and full recovery.

How does physical therapy decrease spine pain?

Physical or manual therapy is performed by a skilled physical therapist and involves slow, measured movements to twist, pull or push discs, joints and bones into position. Over time, these techniques can help lengthen your spine, stretch your muscles and improve your flexibility. Massage and manipulation are also used to help relax your muscles, increase circulation and ease pain in your soft tissues. Your physical therapist will also teach you specific stretching exercises you can do at home to help alleviate spine, back and neck pain and stiffness.

What is the best type of exercise or physical therapy to help with spine pain?

Aerobic activities like jogging, walking or using a stationary bike are all light exercises that have been shown to decrease back and spine pain. However, each person’s pain is unique so it’s important to work with an experienced physical therapist to determine which exercises are right for you.

Neurosurgery & Spine Consultants is proud to offer a brand new, state-of-the-art physical therapy department for nonsurgical spine treatment in San Antonio. Contact us today at 210-255-8935 to learn more or schedule an appointment.

What Causes Back Pain?

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Your back muscles are always working. They power your body and play a major role in movement. They connect the hips, buttocks, chest, shoulder and neck. Whether your daily activities require you to sit or stand for long periods of time, or if you’ve suffered an injury, your back takes the brunt of the stress. Prolonged stress due to injury, position and/or posture can lead to back pain.

Common causes of back pain

Acute back pain is pain that comes on suddenly and lasts for no more than six weeks. It can be caused by a fall or heavy lifting. Chronic back pain is pain that lasts more than three months. Conditions commonly linked to back pain include:

  • Arthritis – Arthritis in the spine can lead to narrowing of the space around the spinal cord, a condition known as spinal stenosis. Spinal stenosis can put pressure on the spinal cord and the nerves within the spine, which can lead to pain, numbness, and muscle weakness.
  • Bulging or ruptured discs – There are small discs in between each spinal vertebrae that act as cushions to absorb the shock of walking, running, jumping and twisting. The soft material inside the disc can bulge or rupture, press on a nerve, and cause significant back pain.
  • Muscle or ligament strain – Repeated heavy lifting or a sudden awkward movement can strain back muscles and spinal ligaments, which can lead to painful muscle spasms.
  • Osteoporosis – Osteoporosis is a condition in which a person’s bones become brittle and fragile, as a result of hormonal changes or calcium deficiency. This can cause compression fractures along the spine’s vertebrae
  • Skeletal irregularities – Scoliosis, a condition that affects the curvature of your spine, can lead to chronic back pain during middle age.

Treatment options for back pain

The back surgeons at Neurosurgery & Spine Consultants offer exceptional nonsurgical, surgical, and minimally invasive procedures for spine conditions and back pain, including:

Conservative pain care treatments

  • Nonsurgical – Nonsurgical pain treatments like pain medication, applying heat or ice, therapeutic massage and exercise are often the first line of defense for back pain.
  • Advanced – Advanced pain care treatments like back braces, nerve blocks, steroid injections, radiofrequency procedures, spinal cord stimulators or vertebroplasty/kyphoplasty may be required to find relief from chronic back pain.

Surgical pain care treatments

  • Disc herniation – A discectomy is the most common surgery used for a herniated disc in the lumbar region. During this procedure, your doctor will remove the portion of the disc that is causing pressure, and therefore, the pain on your nerve root.
  • Abnormal alignment of the spine – Conditions like scoliosis or other spine alignment issues are often treated using a surgical procedure known as spinal fusion. Spinal fusion procedures fuse vertebrae together to correct deformities and prevent further misalignments.
  • Fracture – Bone fracture repair surgery is often used to repair severely damaged bones and often uses screws, pins rods or plates to hold the bone in place as it heals. This is also known as open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) surgery.

NSC can provide a comprehensive consultation to determine what conservative options or surgical course is best for you. We offer advanced, minimally invasive care for back pain. If you would like to learn more about back pain treatment in San Antonio, call the expert physicians at Neurosurgery & Spine Consultants at 210-255-8935.