Your options when it comes to chronic back pain
As one of the most common health complaints in adults, as well as the leading cause of work disability, back pain is an issue that we have plenty of ways to address.
If you feel like your back pain has been getting worse lately, it’s only natural that you will being to think about what can be done to manage it. Here are a few of the options that might be able to help you.
Addressing lifestyle factors that affect it
There are plenty of things in your life that can exacerbate or relieve your back pain and, at first, it might be worth looking at improving those aspects of life to see what difference they can make. Treating and relieving your stress can reduce back pain, as can making sure that you’re getting a proper night’s sleep on a bed that relieves the pressure on your back.
Managing your weight
Your weight can play a rather significant role in your experience of back pain, as well. The heavier you are, the worse it can get, and making changes to your diet and working out more might be able to relieve some of the pressure that the extra weight is putting on.
Certain things you eat, such as trans fats and refined sugars, can lead to a bigger inflammatory response, which can exacerbate the pain, as well.
The use of physical therapy
Usually one of the first treatments that your doctor will recommend, physical therapy can help you find ways to relieve the pain and pressure around your back, make yourself more flexible, and strengthen the core muscles that support the back.
With the help of professionals like Abby McNab, you can find the set of exercises that lead to a serious reduction in your back pain.
The surgical options
When changing your lifestyle and physical therapy doesn’t work, then it might be time to look at more precise medical interventions. There are things like injection-based treatments that can block pain responses from your back or treat inflammation directly.
Where there’s a direct physical cause, such as issues with the spinal discs, the help of a spinal surgeon like Dr Richard Parkinson might be the best response. There is a range of surgical approaches that differ depending on the specific causes of back pain, but they can often result in an almost immediate reduction in pain.
The alternative treatments
Aside from using medication such as analgesics (which aren’t recommended for long-term treatment), there are also alternative treatments. Some people have found treatment paths like acupuncture, biofeedback therapy, and electric nerve therapy to make a significant difference in their experience of back pain.
There are surgeons and doctors who will even recommend alternative therapies based on how they have helped past patients, but it’s often hard to understand why they do work.
The causes of back pain and, as a result, the best solutions to treat it, will vary from person to person. However, you’re only likely to get the results that you want if you talk to your doctor about it.
Photo by Sinitta Leunen
