Relieving Chronic Back Pain

It is not surprising that millions of people endure some kind of back pain during their lifetime. Back pain can be very debilitating and has the ability to alter your daily plans. The kind of back pain that people have varies based on the type of root problem that is triggering the pain and the location. You can have lower, middle or upper back pain and may even have more than one location be affected at the same time. Chronic back pain that is persistent and intense can have a negative effect on your life. To treat chronic back pain, you should explore a variety of treatment options to see what will give you positive results. There is no one way to treat back pain because everyone has a different type of pain and will respond differently to certain treatments.

The most widely used treatment is very simple and doesn’t require any medical insurance or financial resources. This treatment is basically free. All you need is time. Resting and taking time to heal is the best way to treat back pain because it is not invasive and doesn’t have any harmful side effects or complications. Resting will give your muscles the time to relax. Muscles that are strained or that have been injured often just need some time to recover naturally. To rest, you should not put your back through any stress. Don’t lift heavy objects or participate in physical activities that can cause trauma or strain. Resting should not be done excessively because this could adversely affect the muscles involved. Resting for more than a few days could possibly cause the muscles to weaken. Weakened muscles in the back could prevent you from going back to your normal lifestyle and behaviors.

Other ways to relieve chronic back pain involves exercise. Although the wrong kinds of exercise may have helped to injure your back, the right kinds of exercises can help to fix the problems you have. Many people exercise inappropriately and over exert their muscles causing spasm, tearing and strain. Exercises that focus on stretching and gradual use of the muscles can relax muscle tension and relieve pain. Other types of exercise like Tai Chi can be effective for many people. Tai Chi involves the partnership between mind and body to bring overall relief. Physical therapy can be a helpful form of exercise that emphasizes stretching and muscle activity that is specially geared towards bringing relief to the back area.

Another option for managing chronic back pain is using NSAIDs or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. These drugs can help to control and manage pain for a specified amount of time and must be taken periodically to offer continuous relief. These drugs reduce inflammation to the area and limit the pain derived from nerves that are irritated. Since these drugs are available without a prescription, you will be able to acquire them without too much effort. In situations where your back pain is very persistent and all other methods have failed, surgical procedures like a foraminitomy or a rhizotomy could be for you.