Chronic Back Pain Treatment

Back pain is quite a common problem these days. People of all age groups are getting affected by it. Back pain is mainly categorized into two different types: acute and chronic. An acute back starts all of a sudden and subsides after some time. However, chronic back pain is more annoying as it continues to bother for several weeks or months. In general, a back pain that persist for more than 8 weeks or more is considered as chronic. Sometimes, chronic pain in the back tends to come back from time to time.

Causes
Back pain has many different forms like upper, lower and middle back pain. Among them, chronic lower back pain is more common as regular wear and tear is maximum in this area. Back muscles are susceptible to various forms of injury. They may get strained due to incorrect posture while standing or sitting or sleeping, excessive body weight, repetitive bending or lifting of heavy objects. Slipped disc is another condition which is responsible for back pain. This happens when the cartilage disc of the vertebrae wear out and press any nerve root. If the sciatic nerve root located at the lower spine region gets pressed then it leads to chronic lower back pain that often get extended to the legs and is accompanied by numbness. Elderly people suffer from chronic back pain mostly due to osteoarthritis affecting the spine. Chronic pain back may get triggered by stress and anxiety. Under the influence of stress, the back muscles get contracted and normal flow of blood to the area is affected. This condition leads to a constant pain in back.

Treatment Options
When you visit a doctor with chronic back pain, then they conduct a physical examination and a few laboratory tests such as x-rays and MRI scan to understand the problem. Your lifestyle and medical history is also taken into account for correct diagnosis. Depending on the severity of the condition, they avail one or more of the following options:

Anti-inflammatory Medicines: Initially, they prescribe oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines for controlling the back pain. Such medicines often do not work on an intense pain. In that case, cortisone injection is administered directly at the painful site on the back. This blocks the painful sensation temporarily. If the patient is suffering from an excruciating pain, then narcotic pain relieving medicines and muscle relaxants are also given for a short term.

Physical Therapy: Physical therapy is highly recommended for treatment. The physical therapist advises you to bring about changes in posture and modify your back movements in order to minimize stress on the back muscles. They also suggest some exercises that focus on core strengthening and stretching to relieve the back pain at the same time make the back muscles strong and flexible.

Relaxation Techniques: Many a time, it has been found that patients dealing with a lower back pain for prolonged period of time feel depressed as their body movements are badly affected. For them, learning of a relaxation technique like yoga or meditation is of great help along with chronic lower back pain treatment. In some people, back pain returns when they are under stress and anxiety. They are also advised to practice yoga, meditation etc. Doctor may also have to prescribe antidepressants for such patients.

Surgery: Surgery for a back pain is quite rare. Doctors first try to treat the condition with conservative methods of treatment. In fact, most cases of chronic back pain get resolved without surgery. However, if it does not and the patient suffers from a severe pain, then surgical options is availed as a last resort.

At-home Treatment
Along with the medicinal treatment mentioned above, you can try out a few home remedies for curing the problem. They are as follows:

Ice Application: Put a few ice cubes in a plastic bag and seal it. Cover it up with a thin cloth and place it over the painful site for 15-20 minutes. Repeat this several times a day for a soothing relief from back pain.

Hot Bath: When the chronic pain is extreme, soak your body in a tub of warm water for some relief. Let your back get the heat for half an hour everyday for best results. This will help to bring down both pain and inflammation.

Back Massage: A back massage with oil is really helpful for the pain as the pressure exerted eases off the tension from the muscles and give them scope to relax. Mint oil or eucalyptus oil can be used as massage oil as they have medicinal qualities to reduce pain. You need not visit a professional for this purpose. A member of your family can do it.

Garlic: You can use garlic both internally as well as externally. Eat fresh garlic cloves in the morning and its anti-inflammatory properties work wonders on back pain. Prepare a garlic oil by frying around 15 cloves of garlic in 60 ml of sesame oil. Cool it down and apply on your painful back.

Lemon Juice: You can have lemon juice for relief. Take about one tablespoon of fresh lemon juice in a bowl and mix a little salt to it. Consume this mixture two times in a day for faster relief from back pain.

When you are undergoing treatment, then try to prevent any further aggravation of the pain. Avoid any such movements or activities that worsen the pain. Relax your back muscles by resting them properly with some good sleep at night to ensure faster healing. Most importantly, use a good mattress on your bed which is not soft.