20 Nov Alternative Back Pain Treatments to be Thankful For
Chronic back pain can make you feel miserable. The last thing you want is to dwell on untreated pain, especially during the holidays, but you don’t want to resort to surgery, either. Here are some alternative back pain treatments to be thankful for just in time for Thanksgiving!
Back Pain
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke reports that millions of adults experience back pain regularly, especially in the lower back. Up to 80% of people will experience pain in the lower back at some point in their life because of the stress this area of the body takes to support everyday movement. The back is the part of your body that all the other limbs connect to and the part that centers everything.
About 31 million Americans suffer from lower back pain at any given time. Reportedly, back pain in its various forms is treated more than most medical conditions. The American Chiropractic Association also reports that it’s one of the most common reasons for missed work. Most patients with mild to severe back pain report symptoms such as:
- Pain that is worse or better after resting
- Pain that worsens with exercise
- Stiffness along the spine or in the muscles surrounding it
- Pops, cracks, and other noises or sensations when moving after resting
- Spasms throughout the back that make it hard to stand, sit or lie down
- Inflammation in either the lower back, neck or mid-back regions
- Neuropathy symptoms such as numbness in the back
Electrical Stimulation
Electrical stimulation is an alternative therapy used to calm irritated or damaged nerves. Electrodes are placed around the area of the body (such as the knee) that is experiencing chronic pain. Electrical shocks are gently sent through wires to the electrodes, causing the muscles in those specific areas to contract and relax over and over. That contraction and relaxation allows tons of blood flow to the area of pain, which also brings nutrients through the bloodstream.
The more blood flow hitting an area, the more healing that can take place. This is effective for people with most types of chronic conditions such as arthritis or diabetes, or for those recovering from surgery or injuries.
Chiropractic Care
A chiropractic adjustment is a natural, drugless, non-surgical health treatment that uses a series of movements with focused pressure to put the joints and vertebrae back into place. This is done by a chiropractor, which is not a medical doctor, but “Doctors of Chiropractic (DC’s)” or chiropractic physicians. These are professionals who know that a healthy spine follows a normal alignment, placing equal pressure on all the joints of the body.
An examination will include recording your full medical history, plus current conditions and/or injuries you have. X-ray imaging, lab tests and MRI scans may be needed in more chronic cases of back pain. Chiropractic care will feature a series of adjustments, where the chiropractor will place you in various positions. With gentle force to areas of your back and spine in these positions, your spinal column and neck can be placed back into their proper place. These adjustments are very effective at relieving chronic back pain, reducing inflammation, helping herniated/bulging discs heal and at relieving other issues with the back.
Spinal Braces
In all your rehabilitation, try to seek out the most natural forms of healing that work for your body and that are effective. An effective device for moderate to severe cases of back pain could be a spinal brace. These braces can be one-size-fits-all and may feature a sturdy brace that keeps your lower back from curving while sitting or standing. Some braces are prescribed for conditions such as scoliosis (a curvature of the spine) or spinal stenosis, or to help the body heal with support after surgery. Talk to your medical professional to know if you could benefit from using one.
If you don’t require a spinal brace to strengthen your joints and muscles, you may simply need added back support in your everyday living. That means sitting in chairs with sturdy, supportive backs (instead of exercise balls) to work. It also means propping a pillow behind you when sitting to have full back support; sturdy shoes with good soles, healthy exercise with proper technique, a healthy diet and similar changes to your routine. An appointment with a professional will help you to know what to incorporate into your daily routine.
Steroid Shots
Anti-inflammatory injections are the same as steroid shots, and can effectively lubricate a muscle or joint, while also calming down inflammation that can deteriorate tissues. A joint injection is an anesthetic shot that can help relieve the nerves that send out signals of pain to your brain. They are administered with a very small needle into the joint or area around the nerve that is in pain. These injections also relieve inflammation, reduce swelling and reduce heat in addition to soothing your pain.
Although anti-inflammatory injections are great temporary treatments for pain, they can’t resolve the origin of the problem causing you pain. That’s why we provide effective rehabilitative services at our office. It’s common for patients who receive steroid shots to also be enrolled in our physical therapy services to strengthen and stretch parts of the back that experience pain.
Alternative Back Pain Treatments You Can Be Thankful For
Enjoy this holiday season by taking your first step towards better health and reduced back pain! We specialize in chiropractic therapies that focus on relieving chronic pain, especially in the back. Electrical stimulation, chiropractic adjustments, spinal braces, and steroid shots are amazing at treating chronic back pain, as well as our countless other therapies. To learn more today, call Mile High Spine & Pain Center at (720) 507-0080!