If you’re suffering from back pain in Glenn Dale/Bowie, we firmly believe that physical therapy is the best course of action you can take in just about every situation. Here at CAM Physical Therapy and Wellness Services, we treat each patient’s back pain with an individual approach, and we focus on utilizing interventions that have the strongest likelihood of being effective. For some patients, this will include a form of manual therapy called spinal manipulation, along with several other treatments.

Manual therapy is a specialized form of physical therapy that is delivered by the hands of the therapist as opposed to a device or machine. In a manual therapy session, a physical therapist will use their hands to put pressure on muscle tissue and manipulate joints in an attempt to decrease back pain caused by muscle spasm, muscle tension or joint dysfunction. These movements are applied to joints with varying degrees of needed intensity, meaning that in some cases the pressure may be more gentle or stronger, depending on the patient and their condition.

Spinal manipulation is unique when compared to other manual therapy techniques because it involves a rapid impulse, or thrust, in order to achieve what’s called a gapping and cavitation of the joint. Joint cavitation is accompanied by an available release, which is recognized by a “popping” or “cracking” sound. Spinal manipulation is used by physical therapists to accomplish the following:

• Facilitate movement
• Relive pain
• Improve circulation
• Relax muscles
• Improve muscle functioning

Spinal manipulation has been found to provide back relief for patients with either acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term) back pain, but it often cannot accomplish these improvements independently. Therefore, spinal manipulation is usually combined with other physical therapy interventions—like stretching and strengthening exercises, passive modalities and/or other manual therapy techniques—to bring about the greatest possible benefits. In each case, the physical therapist will first focus on identifying the specific dysfunctions in the body and then formulate a treatment program based on their findings.

Spinal manipulation may be best for your back pain in Glenn Dale/Bowie

So for those of you currently dealing with back pain in Glenn Dale/Bowie who have not yet tried spinal manipulation from a physical therapist, now is the time to take advantage of this treatment. Contact CAM Physical Therapy and Wellness Services at 301-464-7390 to schedule an appointment at any of our four clinics in Laurel, Hyattsville, Glenn Dale/Bowie or Parkville/Baltimore, MD today, or click here for more information on spinal manipulation.