There is hope for chronic back pain
Read on to find out how to cure your back pain
The good news: most back pain goes away with some careful attention and with a few weeks of treatment at home.
Some pain relievers and heating pads might be all you require to diminish your back pain. Bed rest is helpful, but
only in limited amounts—more than a couple of days of rest might do more harm than good. Consult your doctor if you
need stronger medication or therapy.
Medications and therapies to try
Physical exercise and therapy – A physical therapist treats you in a variety of ways—treatments include heat, ice,
electrical stimulation, ultrasound, and muscle release techniques. The therapist can also teach you specific
exercises to increase your strength and flexibility. By improving your posture and improving your pain, a physical
therapist can help you stop back pain pain from recurring.
Prescription medications. Your doctor may prescribe nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or in some cases, a muscle
relaxant, to relieve mild to moderate back pain that doesn't get better with over-the-counter pain relievers.
Cortisone injections. Your doctor may prescribe injections of cortisone, an anti-inflammatory medication, into the
area around your spinal cord if your back pain is not responsive to other forms of treatment. This is an effective
option for patients suffering from what is commonly called a “pinched nerve.”
Electrical stimulation. This is a procedure that uses a weak electric current to pinpoint specific spots on the
skin to nerve pathways. This procedure is believed to interrupt pain signals and prevent them from reaching your
brain. Although it is safe and painless, electrical stimulation does not work for everyone. It is usually more
effective for short-term pain rather than chronic pain. This treatment is a good option for patients who are not
responding to medications.
Back schools. These are classes you can take (many are available through community classes and programs) that focus
on managing back pain and avoiding its recurrence. Topics studied include back anatomy and muscle function, and
also feature practice sessions to demonstrate how you can protect your back at home.
Antidepressant medications. This seems hard to believe, but it’s true—low doses of certain kinds of antidepressant
medications have shown to reliev chronic back pain for many patients.
Narcotics. Medications such as codeine or hydrocodone might be used over a short-term period under close
supervision by your doctor to treat back pain. Be advised that these medications have the well-known danger of
becoming an addiction for many patients.
Other treatments. Other treatments might include self-administered pain medications that are sent to the spinal
cord through a catheter attached to a pump. Another option to try would be anesthetic injections.
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