A whopping 80% of American adults experience back pain some time during their lives. Back pain is one of the most common – and most costly – ailments in our society.

The cost of treating back problems, time lost from work, insurance, therapy and surgery runs into the billions of dollars every year. Neck pain can also be quite disabling. No matter what type of back and neck problems you have, Gillette Physical Therapy can help. After a comprehensive examination to pinpoint the source of your pain, we'll create a customized program designed to decrease pain and promote healing.

We help patients overcome their back and neck problems through a variety of therapies, including:

  • Manual therapy to optimize function in the spinal joints & surrounding soft tissue

  • Joint mobilization

  • Soft-tissue manipulation

  • Manual traction

  • Trunk stabilization to provide strengthening for patients with low back pain

  • Dry Needling

  • ISTIM

If you are one of the millions of Americans with chronic or acute neck, back and spine problems, Gillette Physical Therapy can help with customized programs that reduce or eliminate pain and increase mobility, strength, flexibility and function. We offer comprehensive, expert treatment for a variety of neck, back and spine problems, including:

  • Pinched nerves

  • Muscle spasms

  • Postural pain

  • Spinal cord injuries

  • Disc problems

  • Whiplash injuries

  • Stiffness

  • Postsurgical rehab

  • Low back pain

  • Sciatica

  • Radiating pain

Help with headaches

Tens of millions of Americans suffer from headaches. Headaches may be mildly annoying (tension or sinus) or completely debilitating (migraines, cluster-type).

Over 33 million Americans, mostly women, suffer from migraines. Cluster-type headaches, also known as one-sided and "suicide" headaches, are relatively rare by comparison, and men are more often the victims. Tension headaches, by far the most common type, also strike women more frequently than men and can last 15 minutes or days on end. Common causes of headaches include:

  • Alcohol, caffeine or other drug use or withdrawal.

  • Changes in the levels of chemicals in the body (neurotransmitters).

  • Coughing or sneezing. Dehydration.

  • Dental problems or procedures, such as pain from grinding the teeth or from a root canal.

  • Eating or drinking cold foods and fluids. Emotional stress.

  • Exposure to smoke or fumes from chemicals, including carbon monoxide.

  • Eyestrain. Fever. High altitude. (Lower oxygen levels at high altitudes can cause headaches.)

  • Medical procedures, such as the aftereffects of a lumbar puncture (spinal tap).

  • Medications. Many medications can cause headaches.

  • Muscle strain in the neck, upper back or shoulder muscles.

  • Upper respiratory infections.

  • Postsurgical rehab

While there is no single treatment that can eliminate every headache, all types are treatable. Symptoms and pain can often be reduced with manual physical therapy techniques, biofeedback and OTC medications such as aspirin or ibuprofen. We also emphasize patient education. The more you know and understand about your body and condition, the better able you are to participate in the physical therapy process for better, longer-lasting results.