Treatment of Back Pain.

Back Pain usually is the lower back pain which is commonly seen. Most of the people who suffer from pain in the back or pain in the lower back  get relief within a few days or weeks after treatment for back pain or treatment of lower back pain. These are the cases where the back pain is due to the tear of muscle fibers and strain of the back muscles and back ligaments, due to some over zealous activity.

Those with other “Causes of back pain” may require more intense and prolonged treatment for back pain. Diagnosing the Cause of Pain in the back and treating it promptly is important,  because  the “Complications of back pain” can be crippling.

Back Pain and Treatment.

The following are the symptomatic and curative treatments for lower back pain. Some patients respond to certain treatments for back pain, while other patients respond to certain other treatments better. Cures for lower back pain depend on what has caused the back pain. Remedy for back pain can be conservative but surgery may in certain cases become necessary to cure the back pain as explained below.

Treatment of Low Back Pain.

1. Warm and cold Compresses to the back give some relief from back pain. Warm compresses  also give lower back pain relief by relaxing the muscle spasm, while the cold compresses  reduce back pain by decreasing the inflammation in the back.

2. Bed  rest forms the most important part of cure for back pain. Bed rest for back pain is advised for about 2 days to avoid putting any strain on the muscles of the back. Keep a pillow below your knees, when sleeping on the back or between the knees, if sleeping on your side. This will give better relief from back pain. Bed rest for more than 2 days is not advocated nowadays, as  more days in bed can cause muscle weakness due to calcium depletion from the bones and can also lead to a depressed state of mind. After this period, physical activity should be resumed gradually.

3. Back Pain Medicine.

• Non Steroid anti inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like Ibuprofen, Aspirin, are given for lower back pain relief. They also give relief of back pain situated in the center and upper area of the back. They reduce back pain by reducing the inflammation, but have the side effect of causing gastric irritation and renal toxicity.
• Acetaminophen (Paracetemol) helps to get rid of back pain by relaxing the back muscles.
• COX – 2 inhibitors give back pain relief  by inhibiting or blocking the action of the COX-2 enzyme. COX-2 enzyme is responsible for causing inflammation and pain. They are preferred as they do not cause gastric irritation.

4. Oral Steroids and Injections can be very useful  for sciatica pain relief. In acute sciatica, steroids are injected into the epidural space of the spinal cord for immediate relief from acute back pain due to sciatica.

5.Traction for Low Back Pain was formerly used for relief of back pain, but is nowadays  not considered favorably. This is a method where, the patient lay on his back on the bed. His legs were slightly raised and harnessed to weights. The principal was to apply traction to the vertebral column   so as to bring about a proper alignation of a displaced vertebra. However, as mentioned above,  studies indicate that, this has  no benefits.

6. Proper Massage for Back Pain by an expert may give short  term pain relief.

7.  Exercises for Back Pain are a very important part of back pain remedy, especially for chronic back pain. They form an important part of physiotherapy treatment for back pain. They help to strengthen the back muscles, which in turn help to hold the vertebrae in position and  prevent  further damage. It is necessary that these back pain exercises be performed correctly and therefore, you should  learn them from your physiotherapist. These exercises should be performed daily. Warming up before starting your exercises is important.

8. Acupuncture treatment for back pain and pressure point massage have proved beneficial to reduce back pain.

9. Surgery for back pain or lower back pain is indicated for the treatment of chronic back pain cases having the following conditions

• Herniation of the lumbar disc.
• Spinal Stenosis.
• Compression fracture of the vertebrae.
• Scoliosis.

10. Back pain belt is at times advised to be worn to support the muscles and ligaments of the back. It relieves the pain of the back and sciatica by stabilizing the pelvis and the spine. It is to be wrapped around the back and abdomen  firmly 9not tightly) and held in position by velcro. The back pain belt also helps in maintaining proper posture and gives support to the already strained back muscles and ligaments. It is to worn in such a position that the upper border of the belt is just below the navel.

There are very simple lifestyle steps you can take to prevent this highly prevalent health ailment. Follow those steps to lead an active back pain free life. You can read them at “How to prevent Back Pain”.

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