Chronic back pain and neck pain can cause disability, limit mobility, and severely interfere with normal functioning. The Rehabilitation Program at UT Southwestern Medical Center’s Spine Center provides non-surgical treatment options for patients suffering from back and neck pain, including conditions such as low back pain, degenerative disc disease and herniated discs. The goal is to strengthen muscles and increase flexibility to alleviate pain and improve quality of life without resorting to surgery or long-term medication.

Some conditions can be improved with simple treatments and lifestyle changes, but more complex spinal disorders require intervention from specialists such as those at UT Southwestern.

Physicians in our Rehabilitation Program use medical histories and physical examinations to gain a thorough understanding of each patient’s symptoms, and technologies such as X-rays, computerized tomography (CT scans) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are used to diagnose conditions and assess their severity. Once a diagnosis is complete, appropriate rehabilitative techniques can be prescribed.

Rehabilitation techniques offered at UT Southwestern Medical Center generally fall into two categories – active and passive.

Passive Physical Therapy
These techniques focus on decreasing the pain without requiring much effort from the patient. They include:

• Electrical stimulation of nerves – A transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator (TENS) unit uses painless electrical stimulation to target specific nerves and relieve pain.
  
  
• Heat/cold application – Heat and ice help reduce muscle spasms and inflammation. They are often used alternatively through the course of treatment.
  
  
• Topical application of steroids – Steroids are applied to the skin through a process called iontophoresis, which uses a mild current that causes the medicine to migrate to soft tissue and reduce inflammation.
  
  
• Ultrasound deep heating – The ultrasound machine uses sound waves to penetrate the body’s soft tissues to relieve pain and promote healing.

Active Physical Therapy
Active physical therapy in the form of stretching and strengthening exercises is critical to the rehabilitation and long-term health of the spine. Depending on the patient’s condition, the following may be included in the treatment plan:

• Dynamic lumbar stabilization
• Low-impact aerobic conditioning
• Muscle strengthening exercises
• Stretching the back and other areas