Treatment options for chronic lower back pain
Stress, improper posture, an accident or unnecessary strain are the main causes for back pain today. While more than 90% of back pain cases resolve within 3 months’ time on its own or with conservative treatment, the remaining few are left with chronic back pain.
Those suffering from chronic back pain have several treatment options to consider and choose from:
1. If you can bear the pain, there is no actual need to undergo any treatment. You just have to take precautionary measures while bending and avoid jerks, take rest intermittently when you feel your back is strained and on an overall, avoid giving any unnecessary strain to your back.
2. You doctor may suggest traditional medical treatment that includes physical therapy with lumbar stabilization, core strengthening and other such therapeutic options.
3. Treatment using medications is another viable option. The basic medication your doctor may prescribe may include Tylenol, muscle relievers like Valium, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory like Ibuprofen and Naproxen or narcotics like Percocet or Oxycontin.
It is based on the type of back pain, and the amount of pain you suffer from that your doctor will prescribe the right medication. However in the long run, you have to careful with your dosage and not overdose as it can lead to side effects like kidney or liver problems and can also lead to an addition to narcotics.
Interventional pain management is the next option where pain injections are administered for immediate and great pain relief and to reduce the need of taking any pain medication. An epidural injection will benefit you if you suffer from sciatica while facet injections will help if you suffer from arthritis or inflammation in facet joints.
In some cases, radiofrequency ablation and medical branch blocks may also help. The last resort here is spinal cord stimulator, which however is also considered a surgical intervention option.
Alternative treatments are increasing in popularity for treating chronic back pain. Acupuncture and massage therapy provides pain relief, along with chiropractic manipulation. Even spinal decompression therapy which consists of intermittent spinal traction is also effective in treating chronic back pain.
If all the above treatment options fail in providing relief from back pain, your doctor may suggest surgical options that range from spinal fusion to artificial disc replacement. Though results are variable, most surgeries give an average of 60% relief.
The Spine Center uses the latest procedures and technology to bring a safe, minimally-invasive solution to lower back painand serious spinal problems visit their website http://www.surgicalspinesolutions.com/for more details
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