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Common Causes of Spine Pain (and How PT Can Help)

by | Dec 19, 2023 | Back Pain

close up of woman clutching her spine

Are you experiencing persistent back pain? The source of your pain may actually be your spine. If that’s the case, it’s important to know what may be causing your pain, so that you can treat it. Physical therapy is an important first step in treating your spine pain.

What is Spine Pain?

While spine pain is a type of back pain, it’s important to recognize when your pain is caused by a muscular issue or a spinal issue. If you’re experiencing back pain, some signs that it might be spine pain include:

  • Pain or tingling in other areas of the body – like legs, glutes or groin.
  • Weakness in your limbs or loss of motor function
  • Constant or persistent pain that feels like burning. Persistent in this case is pain that lasts for 14+ days.
  • Difficulty maintaining posture

If you’re experiencing any of the symptoms above alongside back pain, it’s a good idea to speak with a physical therapist to determine the cause of your pain. It could be caused by your spine, which will need treatment in order to heal and reduce your pain.

Related Content: Low Back Pain & MRI Results: Here’s What You Should Know

Common Causes of Spine Pain

If you’re experiencing spinal pain, there are a few common causes to know.

Spine injury or degeneration

If you’ve experienced a spinal injury, this could be causing your pain. This injury may have occurred years or decades before, but only now are you experiencing noticeable symptoms.

Bulging or ruptured discs

Your discs are cushions between the bones in your spine, and can bulge or rupture over time. This then presses on the sensitive nerves in your spine.

Arthritis

Arthritis can be present in your spine as well, which is called osteoarthritis.

Osteoporosis

Like arthritis, osteoporosis can also impact the bones in your spine.

The only way to know for sure what is causing your spine pain is to meet with one of our physical therapists. While you can also seek advice from your primary doctor, a specialist will be better suited to creating a comprehensive treatment plan.

How Can Physical Therapy Ease Or Get Rid Of Your Back Pain?

There are a few key ways physical therapy helps with back and spine pain. Physical Therapy with PRO Therapy can:

  • Get you out of the cycle of: pain, doctor, pills, more pain.
  • Reduce immediate pain and stiffness – usually in a couple of sessions.
  • Figure out what’s really going on, and get to the root cause of your back pain.
  • Target the specific problem with exercises and treatments catered to you and your back issue to help speed up recovery.
  • Put an end to the need for countless pain killers, which can be addictive and are no good for your health in the long term.
  • Get rid of that lack of energy often associated with being in constant pain.
  • Avoid dangerous back surgery and unnecessary injections.
  • Get you back to doing the things you need, want, and love to do with family and friends that you hadn’t been able to do.
  • Stand/sit with greater ease and walk farther distances without having the feelings of pain, tightness and weakness in your back or that it’s going to give out.
  • Sleep through the night without tossing and turning to try to find a comfortable position.

Because each case is different, it’s hard to know exactly what treatment options will be best for your spine pain. That’s why you should meet with one of our doctors of physical therapy in person so we can assess and speak with you directly about your symptoms.

Still not sure about physical therapy? Let’s chat!

We realize some people may be unsure if physical therapy is the right option for them. It could be that you’re not sure it’ll work, or you don’t know whether we can help with what you’re struggling with, or perhaps you had a bad experience somewhere else in the past. If that sounds like you and you’d like to come in and see for yourself how PRO Therapy can help you, sign up for one of our complimentary In Person Discovery Visits. During this session, you’ll meet with one of our Doctors of Physical Therapy one-on-one to discuss treatment options before you have to make a commitment.

Dr. Kevin Spahr

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Kevin at ProTherapy is excellent! He is able to listen to feedback and discern next steps for meeting clients where they are at on their healing journey. He really cares about his client's wellness. His guidance as been spot on and appreciated! I will recommend ProTherapy to family and friends.
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I was referred to PRO Therapy by my chiropractor. I was in desperate need of a good PT after very minimal mediocre treatment at another well known clinic. My first visit I knew my experience would be different with PRO Therapy. There was adequate time to share the history following my knee injury and I felt like I was taken seriously. Dr. Spahr formulated a plan that I was comfortable with and we were off. He made it clear that he wanted to see if we could truly heal the knee without another cortisone injection. I love that I felt included in my treatment plan and am always asked if I have questions about what we’re doing. Dr. Spahr is very good at what he does, he’s super knowledgeable for sure! He has a very good and natural ability to meet you where you’re at and moving at a pace that works for your body. My knee issues are resolving at a remarkable pace without another cortisone injection! When I started with PRO Therapy, I thought at the end of it all I would likely need another injection but that’s not the case at all. I would absolutely recommend you give PRO Therapy a try if you’re considering. I’ve referred my husband and can’t wait to see what kind of results he will have. Thanks Dr. Spahr!
Dan C.
Everyone was nice, positive, really helpful and the stuff they do really helps! I appreciate you all and can't wait to keep coming back!! Thanks again
Travis S
As a chiropractor, I've explored various treatments for my persistent knee pain, but Stimwave therapy at ProTherapy has been the most effective. The team was knowledgeable, professional, and made me feel comfortable throughout the process. Since starting treatment, my knee pain has improved significantly and the constant ache I was having is gone.
Suzanne D.
Would recommend and would return for future needs. Dr. Lily was a great listener and tailored her approach to my needs, reassessing each time to make sure I was progressing and my overall goals were met. I also received weekly emails with my plan and left treatment with an overall plan to sustain my improvements. If you’re having pain, soreness, lack of mobility, etc. this will help.
Francine T.
I had six sessions with Kelvyn at PRO Therapy to ease the pain and lack of mobility in my neck and my right rotator cuff. I was afraid of losing even more mobility. Through exercises, stretching and massage, I gained mobility. Pain and discomfort noticeably lessened. Kelvyn is great! Highly recommended.
Ann H.
Dr. Kelvyn and Dr. Kevin are wonderful pros, and again, Doctors. They treated both my husband and I for back pain. The dry needling technique was new to us both and helped us. The exercises were very helpful, and we continue to use them. My husband really thought the Graston technique and the taping helped him a lot. I appreciated their friendly manner and their experience. They listened carefully to us and treated us accordingly. Very professional office. I recommend them.
Mariah P.
Strongly recommend pro therapy for physical therapy! I saw Dr. Kelvyn for a running injury and he was fantastic! He listened to my concerns and modified the treatment plan as I progressed. Also enjoyed the dry needling during the sessions. The whole staff at pro therapy were amazing and I enjoyed my experience there! Thanks for the amazing help!
Linda S.
I had the pleasure of working with Dr Kalvin,I had tendinitis in my knee and hamstring, after 6wks of P.T my pain level went from a 10 down to a 1. He was absolutely amazing, very informative and patient with me. Thank you so much for taking care of me 💖
Chelsea N.
I have gone to many physical therapists over the years and PRO Therapy has been one of the best. I have been here for two separate injuries. They have been able to pinpoint where my symptoms are coming from quickly, explain the issue throughly, and create an effective plan of action. My pain has decreased since coming here! It is a nice, friendly environment, with good conversation.
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