What To Expect From Chronic Back Pain Treatment

People seeking chronic back pain treatment tend to start by consulting with the family doctor.  Your family doctor will act as the coordinator for your treatment.  Your family doctor has a very good understanding of the causes of chronic back pain but cannot determine a detailed approach to treatment like a specialist can.  The first thing your doctor is likely to do to try and help you deal with the pain is to prescribe painkillers.  These are pills that can help you deal with the pain but are really not an effective long-term treatment if the pain persists for more than a few days.

The main problem with taking painkillers on a long-term basis is that they are very addictive.  Most people find that a continued exposure to that sort of treatment results in an addiction that can be difficult to kick.  As a treatment for the temporary pain they can be an easy, convenient cure – But be aware of using them to treat persistent back pain.  Although they do take away the pain temporarily they can bring about a very difficult addiction that can be even more painful than the back pain.

Another popular chronic back pain treatment is shots into the back.  Usually, doctors will use some sort of steroid for this chronic back pain treatment and this type of treatment is painful.  The doctor has to get the needle as close to your spine as possible and it is impossible for the doctor to not hit a few nerves on the way to the spine.  The needle is four to five inches long and the process is usually pretty short, but for the period of time that the needle is in there is tremendous discomfort.  The worst part is that many people say the shots in the back are possibly the least effective chronic back pain treatment available.

It’s All About Health And Exercise

The best thing a specialist can do, regardless of how much pain you are in, refers you to a physical therapist to develop an exercise plan that will help you strengthen your back and deal with relieving the pain.  Physical therapy is the most effective treatment but it can take a long time for the patient to feel the effects. Your doctor might recommend combining painkillers to deal with the intense pain in the short term and then phase them out as the physical therapy makes you stronger.

If you are overweight your doctor or physical therapist will counsel you to lose the extra weight. Excess weight puts pressure on your damaged back that will only make it hurt more. A nutritionist can develop a weight loss plan together with you so you can lose weight in a healthy way without feeling like you are on a starvation diet. Sometimes this can be the best treatment for your chronic back pain without having to resort to painkillers or long-term physical therapy, although regular exercise will make you stronger and should definitely be part of any weight loss plan.

What To Expect From Chronic Back Pain Treatment, Last Update: 11/4/2017