Relieve Back Pain: 5 Popular Non-surgical Treatments

Most cases of back and neck pain resolve alone and very few people with back pain need surgery. There are a wide variety of non-surgical treatments that are usually successful in treating back and neck pain. Some of the most common non-surgical treatment options are physical therapy/exercise, medication, spinal injections, chiropractic, and alternative medicine.

#1. Physical Therapy/Exercise
Physical therapy combines passive modalities with therapeutic exercise to rehabilitate the spine and other parts of the body. Examples of passive modalities that physical therapists administer to patients include:

Heat/Cold Therapy: Helps to reduce inflammation, muscle spasm, and pain.

Ultrasound: The therapist uses a smooth rounded device that is applied to the skin in a circular movement to transmit sound waves into underlying tissues. The sound waves create a deep heat that promotes circulation while helping to relieve inflammation, muscle spasm, and pain.

Spinal Traction: Gentle force is applied to stretch and mobilize the spine to alleviate back pain and spasm.

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Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS): A small controllable device delivers a painless electrical current through skin patched to specific nerves. TENS can be used to relieve pain and improve mobility.

Massage: Trained therapists use their hands, fingers, thumbs, and sometimes their elbows or specialized tools to rhythmically knead, rub, and stroke muscles. Various types of massage help to increase circulation and relieve muscle tension, spasms, inflammation, fluid retention, aches, stiffness, and pain.

Aquatic Therapy: Water therapy includes Whirlpools, water spas, Roman tubs, common bathtubs, and swimming pools. Water temperature and movement is varied to help soothe and relax muscles. Examples of therapeutic exercise physical therapists teach patients include:

• Stretching exercises to increase flexibility.
  
• Strengthening exercises to improve the spine's ability to absorb stress and strain.
  
• Postural modification to rehabilitate the spine and prevent re-injury.

#2. Medication
Today, patients have a wide variety of medications to choose from to treat their back pain. Some medication is available over-the-counter (OTC) and other types must be prescribed. In general, medications to relieve back and neck pain include:

NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory drugs) help to decrease inflammation and promote healing.

COX-2 Inhibitors (a type of NSAID) may allow patients to take higher doses without the accompanying gastrointestinal side effects from conventional NSAIDs.

Acetaminophen, an analgesic used exclusively for acute pain. It can be used alone or in combination with NSAIDs.

Muscle relaxants are often prescribed for severe pain. However, some experts believe that NSAIDs are just as effective.

Opioids are carefully prescribed for back pain due to their addictive nature. These drugs are not a first line of treatment, but may be used in select situations.

Keep in mind that many of these medications, even those available without a prescription, can have serious side effects. Talk to your physician before taking any medications for back pain.

#3. Spinal Injections
Spinal injections serve two purposes - (1) to relieve pain and (2) as important diagnostic tools doctors use to help determine the cause of the pain. Two common spinal injections are:

Facet Joint Injections help to reduce inflammation and pain originating from one or more facet joints. These joints are located at the back of the spine and are important to movement.

Epidural Steroid Injections deliver pain relieving medications into the epidural spaces. The medicine flows through the space, coating the nerve roots and the outside lining of the facet joints.

Spinal injections should not be used as the only remedy to relieve pain. Rather, spinal injections should be part of a treatment plan that includes other therapies such as physical therapy and therapeutic exercise. Talk to your doctor to see if spinal injections might be right for you.

#4. Chiropractic
Chiropractic is a branch of medicine based on the understanding that good health depends, in part, on a healthy spine. Chiropractors also believe one of the main causes of pain and disease is the misalignment of the vertebrae in the spinal column. To address this problem, chiropractors use some of the following techniques to relieve pressure on the spinal nerves, restore joint mobility, and help return the body to health:

Manual detection (palpation) Carefully applied pressure, massage, and manual manipulation of the vertebrae and joints (adjustments) Manipulation under anesthesia Exercise programs and instruction Lifestyle and nutrition counseling

#5. Alternative Medicine
Alternative medicine encompasses a wide variety of treatment options, many of which originated centuries ago. A few of the most common alternative medicine treatments used for back pain include:

Acupuncture: Thin, pre-sterilized, disposable needles are placed in selected parts of the body to increase blood flow and Qi (the life force that runs through the body). Some patients report that acupuncture has provided relief from back pain and helps to promote healing.

Herbal medicine: Certain herbs have healing properties. Individual herbs may be combined to create a formula with a specific function (such as pain relief).

Biofeedback techniques: The practitioner teaches the patient mental and physical exercises that are monitored by sensors applied to specific points on the body. Each sensor is connected to a machine designed to monitor physiological responses.

There are many other types of alternative therapies. If you decide to try one of these, be sure that it is administered by a reputable practitioner. Also, be sure to talk to your physician about any of these therapies before you begin, to make sure they will not interfere with your other treatments.