subject: Treatment Options For Back Pain [print this page] While some back pain, such as simple strains or overuse, does not require any medical attention at all, all back pain requires some type of treatment. This is true whether the treatment occurs at your home, in the doctor's office, physical therapy, a Chiropractors office, or in an operating room.
Home treatments for back pain are fairly simple and straight forward. Apply heat if there is only pain, in twenty minute intervals. If there is also swelling, interchange heat and ice every twenty minutes. Lie on your back, on a hard surface, with your knees and hips slightly elevated to take all strain off of the back muscles. After two or three days, make sure that you walk for a few minutes every couple of hours. You can also take over-the-counter pain relievers and anti-inflammatory medications as well.
It is when these home remedies do not work that you must seek other forms of treatment. The treatment options that are available to you will depend on what is causing the pain in your back. It also depends on what type of doctor you visit. For example, medical doctors tend to treat back pain with medication and may suggest physical therapy.
On the other hand, a Chiropractor will treat back pain with adjustments, and with physical therapy if that is needed, but will seldom prescribe medication, although pain relievers may be prescribed if they are warranted. In either case, x-rays will be taken to determine what the cause of the pain is, so that the appropriate treatment can be administered without causing additional damage.
Your back pain may be treated with injections of cortisone. This allows the anti-inflammatory properties of the cortisone to get to the specific area that it is needed instantly, often quickly relieving pain. This also offers relief from the pain for up to six weeks, when another injection will be needed. Of course, during that six week period, you need to be researching various options for relieving the pain permanently.
If the damage is extensive, such as ruptured disks, you may need surgery. Back surgery is very serious, and before you agree to such a surgery, you should explore other options, and of course seek a second and even a third opinion. While back surgery can relieve the back pain that you currently feel, it usually leads to chronic back pain in the end. Back surgery should always be the last resort.
