Exactly HOW Fast Should Back Pain Relief Happen?
This is a bit of a tricky question. It can refer to the amount of relief you have after a therapy directed at relieving back pain, OR long term relief.
You may have been told that back pain relief takes time, perhaps weeks or even months. While this may be true for decreasing back pain as the “big picture”, it certainly does not refer to how fast immediate relief can be achieved.
For example, one of my outcomes in working with back pain sufferers who have not received relief from previous therapies is either:
- Reduce the INTENSITY of the pain: Say, for example, on a 1 to 10 scale, with 10 being the worst, your pain is an 8 when you walk in my office. Our outcome would be to bring it down to anything lower, such as a 7,6 or better. That would represent a reduction in pain intensity.
- Reduce the FREQUENCY of the pain: This refers to how often you experience back pain. If you have back pain everyday, then a decrease in frequency might mean that you had 2 “good days” of minimal back pain during the following week after the therapy session.
Each session of therapy, which may include any number of approaches, from corrective exercise, corrective stretching, neuromuscular therapy, and even relaxation training, should progress in its effectiveness as each session passes.
I see it as sort of a “mathematical formula”. Meaning, when a certain sequence of movements and interventions are used, it equates to a certain level of pain relief, thus decreasing the intensity or frequency of your back pain.
Each session should focus on improving upon that formula, and results should ideally improve as the formula gets more and more directed toward your unique situation.
If, after 3-5 sessions of any therapy, you are not seeing improvement in either intensity or frequency of your lower back pain, something is wrong. You may not be performing the therapy correctly, OR that therapy is not effective enough to continue using.
-Sam Visnic
Welcome back!
Back Pain Relief Methods
Every day it seems I am introduced to some new form of back pain relief method. Whether that be creams, pills, stretchers, core trainers, and on and on…
I’m always amazed at how these things tend to stay out on the market! If the companies that make these “quick-fixes” have such a massive cash flow to do endless marketing on TV ads, radio, and internet, that MUST mean that people are buying this stuff!
Of course, we have all been “duped” in the past by such marketing claims at one time or another. But, I think by now, you, as a smarter consumer (by virtue you are reading my site!), are hip to the fact that overcoming back pain takes a little more than some “quick-fix” remedy.
What are some of the back pain relief methods that DO work?
In my experience in successfully working with chronic lower back pain sufferers for almost 8 years now, these are some of the methods I have found to CONSISTENTLY produce results:
1. Corrective Exercise and Stretching: This is my primary tool for working with back pain sufferers. It JUST MAKES SENSE. Think about it, most people didn’t develop back pain in static positions, but instead, during MOVEMENT. So, that means that there is a problem with HOW you move, and thus, we need to use movement to assess what is causing the lower back pain, and select the RIGHT exercises and stretches based on your unique muscle imbalance situation.
2. Neuromuscular Massage Therapy: The problem with chronic pain is that once your body gets “into a pattern” of activating muscles in a “pain pattern”, it essentially develops a HABIT. This can create a situation where you may need to re-learn how to use your body. Now, practicing your corrective stretches and exercises will for sure help this, but at times it can take a while. That is where massage therapy comes in. When I do manual therapy, I can get done in 1 hour what would take you 3 weeks to do on your own. (Yeah, I’m THAT good! Lol!) The point is that direct intervention works quickly, particularly the MORE pain the individual has.
3. Upper Cervical Chiropractic: This is a “dirty little secret” in my bag of therapies that not many people know about! To make a long explanation short, the first vertebra under the skull (called the Atlas) has a TREMENDOUS impact on the position of the spine, due to its ability to affect postural reflexes. When this vertebra is out of alignment, it can cause functional scoliosis, imbalances in the pelvis, hips, and as far down as the feet and toes! If there is a problem with this area, it can be VERY challenging to get long term relief from pain. There is ONLY ONE kind of upper cervical chiropractor that I refer to! (For now, I will keep this one a secret, as I will be writing on the topic soon!)
4. Nutritional Therapy: Yes, I can hear your “sigh” as you read this one! One of the MOST overlooked aspects in the back pain equation is that of controlling inflammation through nutrition. Most of the time, over the counter drugs such as ibuprofen, aspirin, etc, and pharmaceutical pain killers are used to “numb” pain, and everyone KNOWS this works, but at the same time “scoff” at nutrition as being a means of anti-inflammatory relief. How do I use this you ask? Well, first of all, remove all factors that cause inflammation such as food allergies, food intolerances, and fix problems with bad digestion. DO NOT underestimate the power of a dysfunctional gut, and its impact on increasing back pain!
Of course, this list is by no means a complete one, as I use many different forms of therapies AS NEEDED on a case by case basis. All cases are different, and may need different interventions. These therapies have provided the MOST CONSISTENT results, and therefore are the ones I INVEST my efforts in.
–Sam Visnic
Why Stretch The Psoas Muscle For Back Pain Relief
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"Having someone like Sam to refer my patients to who is as comprehensive, brilliant and caring as he is makes my job so much easier!! I feel assured that my patients are in good hands and are going to get the results they so desperately want. I highly recommend Sam to anyone who is looking to resolve their back pain easily and effectively!”
-Dr. Holly Lucille N.D., R.N. -
“I've used Sam on more than one occasion to help me with back pain issues. As a full time web designer I often spent too many hours sitting behind the pc which led to chronic back pain. I started working with Sam a few years ago and his knowledge and insight helped me to alleviate my back pain issues and even improve my posture. Whenever I start to have back pain issues I just re-implement the tools and techniques he showed to me and in no time my back pain goes away. He really is the back pain specialist!”
-Jimmy Powell
Owner, Stellar Media Group -
“Sam is an excellent mind/body fitness coach & trainer. When it comes to eliminating complex back problems, Sam's your man. He is passionate about his work and dedicated to healing his clients. I highly recommend his services.”
-Michelle Armstrong
Author, "Manage Your Mind, Master Your Life" -
“In my experience it is rare to find a health practitioner who consistently cures the underlying issues, and successfully drives to total wellness. Sam has become our trusted family 'health support system' because he is one of those rare people. He has successfully helped my mother in law, sister, wife, daughter, and myself cure what western medicine has been unable to. We highly recommend Sam ... plus he's a cool guy !”
-Tim Parsey
Microsoft Partner, Dir UX -
“I was so impressed when working with Sam, from his detailed and thorough evaluation, to the great workouts and home exercises prescribed. I've referred a number of people to Sam and in the past we've used his DVD for gifts to patients for home care. I strongly recommend Sam's services and hope to be working with him personally at some time in the near future.
-Dr. Matt Costantino
HealthSource Chiropractic and Progressive Rehab