A recent study concluded that low back pain sufferers benefit from early physical therapy intervention. In this particular study, just over 200 different patients that had been suffering from low back pain were evaluated.
In the study, one group was provided with physical therapy immediately, or delayed physical therapy a month after the first set of patients started their therapy sessions.
The study showed that the patients that received the early physical therapy intervention showed higher levels of improvement than those that had delayed physical therapy treatment.
The individuals that conducted the study expressed the fact that there is no instant relief formula for those patients that experience low back pain; however, early intervention measures allow a patient to return to their level of normal functioning immediately following an episode in which they suffered from low back pain.
Each year, back pain is said to account for up to 5% of all visits to a doctor in the United States. Even more surprising is the fact that this form of pain results in approximately $86 billion in expenses in healthcare costs.
The standard among all doctors is to delay the act of referring a patient to physical therapy. Medical professionals are to monitor patients to determine if the pain and discomfort subsides on its own.
This is why the study originated.
The researchers that initiated the study wanted to see if earlier referrals to physical therapy would render more positive results for the sufferers of back pain. The study proved that patients that experience this type of therapy are more likely to eliminate the pain and optimize their general level of physical functioning.
In today’s world, many patients are provided with prescriptions and other types of treatments for low back pain. Not only is this a costly form of treatment, it also results in numerous side effects that could prove to be highly detrimental to a person’s health.
If you are plagued by the pain and discomfort of a lower back problem, you should opt for physical therapy treatment by a specialist in place of medication therapy. Not only is this form of therapy less costly, but it is also much more productive.