Physical Therapy

Often your best and first option for treatment when you are dealing with back pain is physical therapy. Physical therapy is not just about teaching you the best ways to exercise your sore back or how to stretch your muscles; it may also involve acupuncture, massage therapy, or IFC (Interferential current) to just name a few.
There are actually two forms of physical therapy; there are things that can be done to you to help make you feel better, these are called passive physical therapy techniques and then there are those that you can do for yourself, these are called active physical therapy techniques. By combining the two techniques your chances of successfully reducing your back pain are increased greatly.

Passive

Acupuncture

This technique can be used to not only reduce back pain but it can also promote healing. There are very few side effects and it is a time tested treatment that can be very effective at reducing back pain. This treatment involves inserting very small needles into the skin in certain areas of the body. Depending on the injury applying either heat or electrical stimulation to the needles could be suggested.

Massage therapy

Massages not only feel good, they are good for you if you are dealing with back pain. It can help to loosen up tense or sore muscles, it can increase blood circulation to the area and promote faster healing, and it helps your muscles release toxins that can then be passed through the body via the lungs and the kidneys. There are many types of massage therapy that can be used from reflexology, acupressure, therapeutic touch, deep tissue massage, and hot stone massages to just name a few. If you are at all unsure about what type of massage could be used for your back pain it is best to either speak to your doctor or a licensed massage therapist.

IFC (Interferential current)

This is similar to what you would experience with a TENS unit but it is much more intense. This form of therapy would penetrate the skin much more deeply then what you would see with a TENS unit. For this procedure your therapist would apply suction cups with damp sponges inside them to your skin and a current of electricity would pass through these cups and into your tissue, this current would produce a massaging effect and also helps the body release endorphins helping to reduce your pain.

Active

Exercise and Stretching

By combing exercises and stretches that target the areas of your back that are causing you back pain, weakness, and numbness along with other passive treatments you can reduce your back pain and other symptoms within a few weeks. With active exercises this is something that you will need to keep up, while your therapist will guild you on a routine you can use, it is up to you to follow through with these exercises and stretches at home for maximum benefit. It does you no good to only do them when your with your therapist.