More and more Upstate New Yorkers are turning to surgery and perscription meds for relief from back pain. This can often lead to far worse outcomes. When experiencing back pain one of the best resources is your Physical Therapist. With Direct Access you can skip the visit to your PCP and go right to your PT. PTs can evaluate your injury/pain and offer exercises, stretches and modailities to will give you the relief you need!
Below is a portion of a recent article from BCBS:
ROCHESTER, N.Y. - More upstate New Yorkers with back pain are undergoing surgery and taking prescription medication (including opiate painkillers), even though noninvasive treatments such as simple exercises and over-the-counter drugs usually work, according to a new Excellus BlueCross BlueShield report.
“If patients receive the wrong care at the wrong time, it could actually lead to worse outcomes,” said Dr. Brian Justice, a chiropractor and medical director at Excellus BlueCross BlueShield. “Back pain is not a disease in search of a cure. It’s a part of life that needs to be managed.”
Recommendations for patients with low back pain
If you have low back pain, the research we compiled in our report advises staying active, limiting bed rest, using pillows between or beneath the knees when you sleep, applying heat for pain management, taking over-the-counter medications when needed, consulting your primary care provider or alternative non-surgical treatment provider (such as a physical therapist and chiropractor) if needed and remaining relaxed to avoid worsening pain.
For the full article on te Excellus BCBS website please clilck on the link below!