Urgent care medicine is a growing specialty. Currently, there are approximately 20,000 physicians that practice within this field of medicine. The Urgent Care Association of America estimated that three million patients visit these clinics every week. In addition to 85% of urgent care facilities being open every day of the week, a large percentage are also open for extended hours. It’s important to note that an urgent care facility can provide diagnosis and treatment for a variety of health conditions, which includes chronic lower back pain.

Limited Exercise and Chronic Lower Back Pain

Many Americans experience levels of lower back pain that affect their daily lives. Recent data indicates that this may be a complaint for as much as 69% of the population. While there are a variety of factors that can cause or contribute to lower back pain, limited physical activity may be the cause in some cases.

According to a recent survey, Baby Boomers may not engage in as much exercise as they should. One out of ten individuals within this age bracket stated that they only engaged in physical activity for a few days every month. Given this, it’s not surprising that six out of every ten Baby Boomers will need to manage a chronic condition by 2030. One of these conditions may very well be chronic lower back pain.

Treating Chronic Lower Back Pain with Physical Therapy

Some individuals that suffer with long-term lower back pain may not seek the services of a doctor or physical therapist. This may apply to a minimum of 40% of the people that experience this type of pain. While each individual will have their own reasons for not visiting a doctor or a physical therapist, some may choose to exercise in an attempt to alleviate their pain.

Even though exercise may reduce or alleviate lower back pain for four out of ten individuals, others may choose to receive physical therapy. Physical therapists can also recommend specific types of exercises to practice in conjunction with their treatments. It’s interesting to note the results of a study that compared total medical costs for treating lower back pain. For the patients that received physical therapy during the early stages when they experienced pain, the costs were $2,736.23 lower than for those patients that didn’t.

Visit an Urgent Care Facility to Learn More

Whether you’re experiencing lower back pain or another issue, you can receive medical help at your local urgent care facility. Since there is likely an urgent care center located close to where you live, work, or shop, it can be more convenient for you to seek treatment. Once you visit your local urgent care center, you can learn more about the services that they provide.