About 5 Best Treatments for Lumbar Pain Relief
Lumbar pain is extremely common, with more than 3 million cases every year. The ages of the patients range all the way from teenagers to the elderly.
If you are someone that sits at a desk for eight hours every day, or someone who bends and lifts regularly, you are certain to experience some type of lumbar pain in your life.
While most people will seek out their doctor to help them relieve this pain, and severe cases do need medical intervention, there are other methods for alleviating this pain.
It is a smart decision to seek out the help of your doctor because the lumbar pain you are experiencing could be caused by an underlying condition such as arthritis.
Once you have consulted with your doctor, he may recommend that you try some home therapies first, or for you to add exercise into your daily routine.
Exercising will help you to achieve weight loss, and will help keep your muscles from getting stiff. Making sure that you are using the correct pain relief for your needs is important. You don’t want to end up doing more harm than good by treating it on your own.
Even if you do not have an underlying condition and it is simply a case of normal back pain, it is important to consult with your medical doctor and let him know what your symptoms are so that he can help you to formulate the best plan of attack.
There are many different options for lumbar pain relief, ranging from simple exercises to extreme cases where surgery is needed.
While we will not discuss all of these options, we will look at five options that may be just what you need when it comes to pain relief. Most of these are common treatments that you can do at home, but some require the assistance of a medical professional.
No matter which one you choose, always let your doctor know what your progress is so he can better monitor your pain management.
Rest
If you are experiencing lumbar pain, rest can do your body a lot of good. Take a few days off from your normal routine, especially if you would normally be bending and lifting at work all day. Try to move around while you are resting.
Take a few minutes and stand or walk around the room. Most people run into trouble when resting their back muscles by staying stationary for too long.
This causes your muscles to become weak and you will put yourself at a greater disadvantage than you would by simply taking a lap around the room every few minutes.
Low Impact Aerobic Exercises
If you are on a rest for back pain and you need to ease back into your routine, or if you need something to help you ease into exercising, this is it. Most gyms offer aerobic classes on dry land, or in a swimming pool, and you can also usually find classes at your local recreation department.
Low impact aerobic exercise includes Pilates and Yoga, as well as an exercise known as aerobic dance. Using these exercises can help you to slowly rebuild your muscle strength and can also help you build muscle around the problem area in your back.
Taking a stroll around the block is also a great low impact work out. Keeping a steady pace will get your blood flowing and your body working to build muscle and keep you healthy.
Medications
Most people tend to steer clear of medications simply because they do not want to become addicted to them. This is completely understandable, and if you feel you might develop an addiction to any medication you need to consult with your medical doctor.
There are a few different options when it comes to medications to help with back pain. Most doctors will assess the level of pain you are having before prescribing any medications for you.
If you are having mild back pain, they may simply suggest that you take the recommended dosage of an over the counter medicine. For more severe pain, they may prescribe you a stronger medication to help take away some of that pain.
It is important to remember that there are some medicines that can affect your vision, appetite, or memory and that all medicine should be taken exactly as prescribed by your doctor, or as directed on the bottle.
Chiropractic Adjustment
If you have complained to your medical doctor about lumbar pain, he may refer you to a chiropractor depending on the severity of your situation.
A Chiropractic Adjustment or manipulation can help improve your mobility, range of motion, and the level of pain you may be feeling. While it is not likely to completely rid you of your pain or discomfort, it can allow you the ability to move more freely and with less pain.
This may be something that you choose to do more than once, but the treatment should always be decided between yourself, the chiropractor, and your regular doctor.
Spinal Steroid Injections
If you are not experiencing relief with any other method of treatment, your doctor may want to try a steroid injection.
The steroid is injected into the affected area directly using a needle, and can usually be done in your doctor’s office or with a physical therapist.
The steroid injection is used to help reduce the inflammation of the muscles in your affected area. As is the case with most people, you may be experiencing an inflammation of the muscles in your back, which may then press against the nerves.
While this is only a temporary relief and is usually needed more than once in a year’s time, it can give you the relief you desire.
Even if you believe your lumbar pain is simply related to your line of work or an old injury, it is important to consult with your doctor to make sure that there is no underlying cause for your pain.
Let your doctor help you decide a plan of action when it comes to your treatment options, and make sure to let them know every symptom that you are having.
By giving your doctor all of your symptoms and issues, you are giving them the tools they need to help you treat your lumbar pain.
