5 Types of Back Pain Treatment

Back pain is a common ailment that ranges from mild to serious. It can occur in your lower back, upper back or anywhere along your spine. Common causes of back pain include improper lifting, strained muscles, bulging disks, sciatica and arthritis. Spinal infections and tumors can also cause back pain in rare cases. Fortunately, there are a number of effective ways to treat this condition.

Home Care
Mild back pain resulting from minor injuries or strains can usually be treated at home. Ice packs and over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen, can provide pain relief and reduce inflammation. Heating pads can help relieve sore muscles. Avoid doing strenuous activities since this can make your condition worse. Resting for a couple of days is alright, but you should avoid prolonged periods of rest after this point since this can slow your recovery. It’s important to call your doctor if you have severe back pain or pain that lasts longer than three days.

Physical Therapy
You might need physical therapy to help you recover from a severe back injury or to help you cope with chronic back pain. Physical therapists use several types of treatment methods, such as ice, heat and electrical stimulation, to relieve pain. They also help patients strengthen their back muscles and become more flexible once the pain subsides. These exercises help patients recover and lower the risk of having back pain return.

Medication
Over-the-counter pain relievers, such as acetaminophen, usually help back pain that is mild to moderate. You might need prescription muscle relaxants to relieve back pain if over-the-counter medications don’t work. Your doctor might prescribe codeine or another narcotic to provide short-term relief for severe back pain. If you’re dealing with chronic back pain, antidepressants like amitriptyline might help. Your doctor might try cortisone injections if other forms of medication haven’t been effective. Cortisone reduces inflammation, although this relief typically only lasts for a few months.

Spinal Manipulation
Spinal manipulation, also known as chiropractic adjustment, is usually used for lower back pain. It’s done by making a joint move farther than usual but not to an unnatural degree. Although chiropractors typically perform spinal manipulation, physical therapists and osteopathic doctors with the right training can also use this form of treatment. Chiropractic care might also include massage, stretching and electrical stimulation to help relieve back pain.

Surgery
Most cases of back pain don’t require surgery. Your doctor might recommend it if other treatment methods don’t work or if the pain spreads down your leg or is associated with muscle weakness. Surgery might involve joining or fusing two vertebrae, removing part of a spinal disk or removing part of a vertebra. Fusion helps reduce pain, but it can also lead to a higher risk of arthritis in your vertebrae. Partial disk removal relieves pain by getting rid of the disk portion that is putting pressure on a nerve. Partial vertebra removal gets rid of bony growths that press on your nerves or spinal cord.