Tuesday 15 November 2016

9 Best Treatment Options for Low Back Pain

There is no single or sure shot cure for low back pain for most people. In fact, it usually takes a whole process of trial and error to determine the best options. The best treatment for low back pain depends on varied factors such as medical history of patient, type of pain and severity of pain. Most types of lower back pain cases get better within a period of 6 weeks without surgery.





Listed below are the best treatment options for Low Back Pain:

1. Trust Endorphins


These feel 'happy' hormones are made naturally in the human body. Unfortunately, most people are unaware of the power of endorphins. These are as strong as any pain medication available on the market! Release of endorphins in the body help with blocking all pain signals from registering with a  brain. The miracle hormones are also helpful in alleviating stress, anxiety, and depression. All of these emotions are mainly associated with chronic back pain. These tend to make the pain worse.

2. Yoga is Helpful


Studies have revealed that taking 12 weeks of classes offers significant improvements in function for adults suffering from chronic low back pain.

3. Pain Medications


Medicines are known to reduce low back pain and reduce muscle spasms. However, medicines alone aren't effective for low back pain. It is always suggested to use medicines along with other treatments, heat therapy, cold therapy, exercises, etc. Here are some of the medication choices usually recommended by doctors, depending on the duration of pain, symptoms you have, and patient's medical history:

Muscle Relaxants – The medicines are helpful for fighting bad muscle spasms off. These are also effective for low back pain.

Acetaminophen (Tylenol) and Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs – Doctors may prescribe ibuprofen and naproxen. These can also be bought without a prescription (milder does).

Opiate Pain Relievers - These are strong medicines prescribed to ease sudden, severe back pain that cannot be controlled by other medications. It takes around 1 to 2 weeks to see effects.

Antidepressants – These include amitriptyline and duloxetine. The medicines treat depression and may also help with chronic pain.

Other medicines used for low back pain less frequently include the following:

Botox Injection – The shot into the back muscles is known to offer relief for patients. However, it is not well tested for chronic low back pain.

Injections  (Anesthetic or Steroid) - These are prescribed for chronic low back pain. However, these have not been researched enough to reveal the effectiveness for back pain. They may offer short-term relief from leg pain resulting from persistent back problems.

Anticonvulsants - These are used to treat low back pain only in some cases.

Since each person is different from other, medicines that work for some may not work for others. So let your doctor know how the medicine fares for you.

4. Massage


Chronic low back pain sufferers benefit from massages. It is revealed from research that patients who got weekly massages reported less pain. The result was seen after a period of 10 weeks. Massage is found helpful for muscle related pain resulting from tight hamstrings.

5. Surgery


The decision for surgery depends on the mutual decision of doctor and patient. A qualified spine surgeon will explain a patient the pros and cons of varied procedure ideal for the condition. Surgery has proved helpful for laminectomy, sciatica, and microdiscectomy. It can reduce pain symptoms significantly by relieving the pressure on compressed nerve roots. Another option is fusion surgery,  which can be used for stopping motion at a motion segment. This is known to be a more extensive version of the surgery. It can be very effective for relieving pain.

6. Restorative Sleep


Inadequate sleep can make back pain worse. Hence, it is important to focus on some restorative sleep. Address sleep problems and get enough of it. Remove all distractions from your bedroom and create a soothing environment to lull yourself to sleep.

7. Cold and/or Hot Therapy


Although traditional and outdated (for modern age individuals), it is not wise to underestimate the pain reduction possibility via applying cold packs and/or hot packs. These are very effective for reducing lower back pain and boosts healing process. Cold application minimizes inflammation, which is usually a major contributor of back pain. Hot therapy acts as a local anesthetic via slowing down nerve impulses to prevent nerves from spasming and causing pain.

8. Hamstrings Stretch


Stretching hamstrings twice daily will work! Tight hamstrings are one of the major contributor to lower back pain. These can stress, lower back and sacroiliac joints resulting in pain. Be careful while stretching hamstrings. Your doctor will suggest you a variety of gentle stretching exercises that should not hurt.

9. Acupuncture


This is yet another excellent option for patients with low back pain. According to various studies, patients with lower back pain who had undergone needle treatment shown more improvement in condition than those receiving conventional care.

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