Patients who have recently experienced a sports-related injury, or are experiencing back pain as the result of damage incurred over time, are advised to visit a doctor that specializes in pain management and disorders of the musculoskeletal system. This type of doctor is known as a Physiatrist; through this type of medical care, patients receive conservative, effective pain management and rehabilitation programs designed specifically for the types of injuries caused by athletic activity.
Monmouth Pain and Rehabilitation has made the process of treating sports injuries/back pain easier by incorporating all possible treatment options in one facility. Under the direction of a medical doctor, rehabilitation may include physical therapy, acupuncture, massage therapy, and chiropractic care.
The objective behind all treatment programs for sports-related back pain is to reduce pain while healing the actual injury. Other goals include improving mobility, flexibility, and strength. The overall purpose is to get patients back to activity while reducing the chance of future injury.
The pain management specialist at Monmouth Pain and Rehabilitation focuses on non-surgical treatment for back pain. In some cases, patients are in severe pain and cannot undergo a program of physical therapy. When this occurs, it may be advisable for patients to consider injections of a long-lasting steroid or anesthetic numbing agent. In the case of back pain, epidural steroid injections, joint injections, trigger point injections, or sympathetic blocks may be used. In this way, patients are able to experience both immediate and long-term pain relief in order to build strength and increase mobility through healthy, conservative practices such as physical therapy or chiropractic care.