As if everyone didn’t have enough to worry about during the COVID-19 pandemic, health facilities like Long Island Spine Rehabilitation Medicine report seeing an uptick in back pain among their patients. If you are one of these patients, don’t suffer unnecessarily during this period of angst. Our highly skilled physiatrists are here to help. We are ready to relieve your pain and restore your mobility no matter what its cause.
Contact us for nonsurgical, minimally invasive treatment. You will find us holistically oriented and compassionate. We offer a wide variety of nonsurgical treatment methods, including:
- Acupuncture
- Customized physical therapy
- The judicious use of medications
- RFA (Radiofrequency Ablation)
- Corticosteroid injections in appropriate circumstances
Using one or more of these treatments, we will get you back in shape to better cope with the unfortunate realities of the coronavirus.
Reasons for Increasing Cases of Back Pain During the Pandemic
Among the reported increases in cases of back pain, some involve patients whose chronic
back problems have intensified during the past two years. Others involve patients who have developed back pain for the first time during the pandemic. In many cases, backaches have originated or worsened as a result of changes related to the times we are all living in.
The Downside of Working at Home
Although many of us are happy to be spending more time comfortably at home with our families, there are drawbacks to not going to our usual workplaces, including:
- Casual doesn’t necessarily mean healthful
Because not everyone has a well-appointed office at home, numerous employees find themselves working in a non-ergonomic environment. Many people develop muscular strains or disc herniations from working on their laptops while slouching on the couch or talking on the phone while picking up a toddler’s toy or with a baby in their arms.
- Time away from the office doesn’t equal more workout time
For many people, the workplace provided a regimen of exercise during breaks — walking with colleagues at lunchtime, taking a half-hour at the gym. Not only are periodic peaks in COVID rates making gyms less accessible and less inviting; fellow employees are now often at a distance.
Also, while it may seem that exercise breaks might be easier to find time for at home when there are children present (too young for school, ill, or quarantined), parental responsibilities may take up any potential free time.
- Time at home is time near the refrigerator
A large number of people have gained noticeable weight during the COVID years and we know that extra weight can increase back pain by putting more pressure on muscles and joints.
Proximity to the refrigerator coupled with nobody but intimates to notice how frequently you snack can easily result in overeating. Not to mention the fact that the boredom, lack of social contact, and overall stress of living through a pandemic can result in cravings for more and more comfort food.
Symptoms of the Virus Itself
Although back pain is not usually a primary symptom of COVID-19, the body’s inflammatory response to COVID-19 does cause muscle pain and body aches which can be felt in the upper and lower back. These days, it is wise to test for COVID with almost any sudden onset symptom.
If you have backaches as a result of being infected with the virus, it may last a few weeks but should resolve on its own. If you have longer-lasting back pain, you should make an appointment at one of our offices for a definitive diagnosis of its cause.
Another thing to consider is that a case of COVID-19 may keep you in bed during a prolonged recovery period and this inactivity may lead to deconditioned muscles that make the pain worse. In any event, as soon as you’re free of the virus, our doctors have many therapies to get you revitalized.
The Psychology of Pain
While at Long Island Spine Rehabilitation Medicine we never dismiss back pain as “all in your head,” multiple studies have shown that anxiety, dread, and depression can all make back pain worse. Certainly, the emotional climate we’re living in during the pandemic is not helping when it comes to back pain.
Increased back pain during the pandemic? Contact Our Talented Physiatrists Today
We will help you better weather COVID-19 by lifting the burden of back pain. Our positive can-do attitude and results-oriented therapies will get you moving in the right direction. Get in touch with our team today.