Back pain is not unique – more than 80% of Americans will experience back pain in their lifetime. Fortunately, approximately 90% of patients will improve without surgery. Back pain rehabilitation specialist, Dr. Stephen Hyman, offers insights into non-surgical options to treat back pain.
1. Physical Therapy is one of the first options you should try under the guidance of your physician. An experienced physical therapist will be able to tailor a plan that helps improve your symptoms and teach you how to maintain a similar routine at home.
2. Diet/Weight Loss – Maintaining a healthy weight can help lessen your back pain by reducing the pressure on your spine.
3. Lifestyle Modifications – Learn to pace yourself and figure out the cause(s) of your pain. When you are suffering from back pain, it is important to take note of what causes your back pain to worsen, and then avoid those activities if possible. If it’s not possible to avoid certain activities, modify them to help alleviate the pain you are experiencing.
4. Injection Therapy is used when the source of pain is known. Injection therapy, such as nerve blocks, epidural steroid injections, rhizotomies, and other injections are available for chronic back and neck pain.
5. Bracing (DME) – There have been many advancements in braces over the last few years. Braces now can be customized to fit your specific anatomy to provide support and immediately relieve pain and pressure on the spine.
6. Pharmacologic Treatments – Analgesics, anti-inflammatory drugs, NSAIDs and muscle relaxants can be used to help control chronic back pain. However, this is not a long-term solution and many come with unwanted side effects.
If you are experiencing back pain, contact our office or schedule an appointment now with board-certified PM&R physician – Stephen Hyman, M.D.
