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Acupuncture

Physical Therapy and Yoga ‘Useful in treating Back Pain’

Physical Therapy could be the answer

As anyone who suffers from chronic lower back pain will tell you it can be debilitating. Often a side-effect of the condition is interrupted sleep and in some cases insomnia. While there is pain relief medication that can be prescribed, a recent study in the US has found that physical therapy and yoga can be just as effective at alleviating symptoms and helping people to enjoy better quality sleep.

Science Daily shared the findings of the study by the Boston Medical Center. It revealed that patients who undertook 12 weeks of yoga classes or one-on-one physical therapy experienced improved sleep quality lasting up to 52 weeks.

Eric Roseen, DC, MSc, researcher and study leader at the department of family medicine at the medical centre, commented: “Identifying holistic ways to treat these conditions could help decrease the reliance on these medications as well as keep patients safer and more comfortable.”

As well as improving the quality of sleep, both yoga and physical therapy were found to improve physical function among those who suffered from chronic lower back pain.

If you’re having issues with lower back pain, and are suffering from disturbed sleep as a result, you may want to try Tui na massage, as this is a form of physical therapy from traditional Chinese Medicine.

There are other things you can try as well, as an article for Everyday Health recently pointed out. The news provider made several suggestions for those who suffer from inflammatory back pain, including staying physically active and regularly stretching to relieve pain. Strengthening specific muscle groups is also advised.

Other tips include regularly doing deep breathing exercises to make sure you’re maintaining your lung capacity, and choosing the right kind of mattress to encourage you to maintain a good posture while you’re asleep.