Different Medical Methods Used For Back Pain Treatment
Back pains are generally not serious conditions but may indicate other health issues. Home remedies and regular medical attention can help to get rid of such pains. Below are some common methods that are used in back pain treatment.
Physical therapies and exercising:
Back pains can be properly treated with the help of regular physical therapy. A professional physical therapist can use a number of different treatment procedures, such as ultrasound, heat, electrical stimulation and muscle-release techniques to reduce pain in the back muscles and the soft tissues.
Once the pain improves, a therapist can educate the patient about exercises that can significantly enhance flexibility, improve posture and strengthen the back and the abdominal muscles. These techniques can be used regularly so as to prevent the pains from recurring.
Medications:
There are a number of different medications that are prescribed for treating back pains. Some of them are discussed in brief below:
OTC or Over-The-Counter pain relievers:
NSAIDs or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen or naproxen sodium can be used for curing the symptoms of acute back pain. These medications should be taken according to the doctor’s directions, as overdosing can give rise to serious side effects.
In case OTC NSAIDs are not able to relieve the pain, then the doctor might offer prescription NSAIDs to achieve the same results.
Muscle relaxants:
When moderate to mild back pains do not improve with the help of OTC pain relievers, then the doctor may prescribe a mild muscle relaxant. A muscle relaxant can make the patient feel sleepy and dizzy.
Topical pain relievers:
Topical pain relievers are salves, creams or ointments that can be applied over the skin at the particular site of the pain.
Narcotics:
Drugs like hydrocodone or codeine can be taken for a short period of time under close supervision to alleviate the symptoms of back pains.
Antidepressants:
Certain antidepressants can be administered in low doses to remove the pains. Tricyclic antidepressants like amitriptyline have been proven effective in curing chronic back pain in some cases, independent of their impact on depression.
Injections:
In case the other measures are not able to relieve the back pains and the discomfort radiates down the legs, the doctor may choose to inject cortisone, an anti-inflammatory medication or some other numbing medication directly into the area around the spinal cord. The cortisone injection can help to reduce inflammation around nerve roots. However, the pain relief generally lasts for less than a few months.
Surgery:
Surgery is one of the last resorts for treating back pains. Usually people do not need any kind of surgery to treat back pain but if a person has chronic and unrelenting pains associated with progressive muscle weakness and soreness due to nerve compression or radiating leg pain, then the doctor is likely to recommend surgery to treat the specific issues. Generally surgery for back pains is limited to the treatment of structural problems like spinal stenosis or narrowing of the spine or herniated disk that has otherwise not properly responded to other forms of therapy.
