About Treatments for Chronic Back Pain Management
Chronic back pain can be caused by multiple things, such as arthritis, herniated discs, inflamed muscles or nerves, and a host of many other causes.
Chronic back pain can also be difficult to manage and to treat, especially for people who sit at a desk for the majority of their day or stand on their feet all day.
The area of the back is different from person to person, and the pain experienced can vary as well.
Some people may experience a dull ache constantly which can cause them severe discomfort and pain, while others may have a sharp pain starting in one area of their back and coursing through to another.
Even though a large amount of research has been done, there is no definitive answer on the best way to completely rid someone of their chronic back pain. However, there are many treatment options out there that can help to alleviate the pain and give the patient some pain-free time.
Choosing the right treatment is completely up to the patient and their doctor to decide. Taking the time to be evaluated by your medical doctor can go a long way in the development of your treatment plan.
Your doctor may even suggest that you try multiple treatments to see which one is the best fit for you. If you decide to try out multiple options, you need to give each one enough time to kick in before you switch to another option.
If you do not allow the treatment enough time to work, you won’t be able to tell if it has actually helped you or not.
We are going to be discussing four non-drug options for helping to alleviate chronic back pain. This should help you to get on the right track to getting rid of your back pain.
Exercise
Low impact exercise can not only help you to maintain or lose weight, it can also help to reduce your chronic back pain.
Trying different low impact workouts, like walking, swimming, or stretching can help keep your muscles in a more relaxed state and keep your pain at a minimum.
The important thing to remember with exercise is not to overdo it. You don’t want to work out too hard and subject yourself to potential injury.
Keeping your workouts low impact will give you the satisfaction of working out, but will also give you a temporary relief from your back pain.
Try switching between different exercises to add some variety. This will help you to stick with the workouts and keep you on track. Choose something you love doing, like swimming, to keep you interested in it and wanting to continue with the routine.
Physical Therapy
Your doctor may suggest that you see a physical therapist if you have tried multiple other treatments and none have worked for you.
Depending on the severity of your back pain, your doctor will determine how often you need to be seen by the therapist.
Your doctor and the physical therapist will determine what type of treatment you will receive and how often you will be seen.
It is important to keep both your doctor and the therapist informed of any changes in your pain so that they can alter your treatment if needed.
While your doctor may suggest a therapist that he partners with, make sure to do your own research before making a definite choice on which therapist to work with.
You want to make sure that you are comfortable with the person who will be responsible for your treatment.
Nerve Stimulations
This is also something that is usually done by a physical therapist or a specialist at your doctor’s office. Nerve stimulation sends tiny jolts of electricity through the nerves around the affected area of your back.
This may sound a little scary, and slightly dangerous, but it is painless and harmless. Your doctor or therapist will place a small device on your back near or at the affected area and will select the amount of electricity that will be sent to your nerves.
You may feel a tingling sensation while you are receiving treatment, but this is completely normal.
The stimulation is actually blocking the nerves from sending the pain through to your brain, thus alleviating your pain by stopping it in its tracks.
Your doctor or therapist can perform this in office, or they may set up the device on your back and send you home with a portable device that you control yourself.
Psychological Therapies
This is a therapy that most people do not consider when it comes to choosing how to alleviate their back pain.
Psychological therapies work with the cognitive part of your brain and behavior to essentially teach you how to block out the pain.
Doing this will help you learn how to deal with your chronic pain and push it to the side so you can carry on with your day as normal.
While this may not work for most people, there are some for whom it can completely alleviate their pain, or at least give them the ability to block out their pain and carry on with their day.
Treatments for Chronic Back Pain Management Review Summary
No matter what type of treatment that you decide on, you need to make sure that you are comfortable with your choice.
Even though you have chronic back pain, there is no need to rush into a treatment option simply because you want to rid yourself of the pain.
Taking the time to choose one you are comfortable with and that your doctor recommends can do you a lot of good in the long run.
Working with your doctor to come up with a plan of attack and then sticking with that plan is your best bet when it comes to chronic back pain.
You can even combine some of the available treatments to help give you the best chance for relief.
While it may not be easy all the time, taking the first steps towards pain relief by talking to your doctor is the most important thing you can do to get the relief that you need.
