What are some effective lower back pain treatments? Treatments can be grouped into three categories, exercises/physical therapy, medication, and surgery.
Although most episodes of back soreness tend to last only a few days and can be resolved within as little as a few weeks, you should always consult a doctor before undergoing any sort of treatment.
This is true no matter how minor your treatment may seem, because exacerbating the pain is a very real consequence of improper treatment.
Also, back problems should not be treated with bed rest, because in actuality, bed rest can be bad for the spine as some spinal conditions are worsened in the lying down position.
In addition, some back problems are also caused by sedentary lifestyles, so lying in bed for a few days would only worsen the situation.
While exercise and physical therapy are good back pain treatments, you should be careful not to exercise excessively.
Flexion exercises, or stretching forward, are good for back problems experienced while standing.
Extension exercises, or bending/stretching backwards, provide excellent back pain treatment for pain that is worsened by sitting.
In general, stretching exercises are an excellent way to prevent back problems as you are able to strengthen your back muscles and practice flexibility in your ligaments and tendons before problems arise.
Yoga is great in this aspect as it is a discipline that not only stretches muscles but strengthens them as well.
However, if you are already experiencing back problems, you should consult your doctor first, as is always a good idea before undertaking any type of regular exercise regimen.
As for medication as a form of back pain treatment, there are two groups of medications.
The first is anti-inflammatory medication, which helps to reduce and control inflammation caused by any injury.
Reducing inflammation reduces pain.
There are many medication options for controlling inflammation so consult your doctor to find which is best for you.
The second group of medications is relaxants, which are generally prescribed to patients experiencing lumbar strains.
This is especially effective for those experiencing back spasms as a symptom.
These forms of back pain treatments are usually sedating so not only should they be used with care, you should definitely consult your doctor to find the medication that is right for your situation.
When neither medication nor therapeutic exercise can fix the damage to the spine, then you may have to turn to surgery.
A very small minority of people will ever require surgery.
Usually, surgery would only be considered as a viable treatment in the cases of those experiencing leg pain due to herniated inter-vertebral discs, spinal stenosis, or those with tumors that are affecting the structures in the spine.
Extremely serious surgery such as disc replacement is reserved for an extremely small group of people with disc damage and no other abnormality.
Back problems can be caused by very serious conditions so it is always advisable to speak to a doctor first before taking on any form of back pain treatment, especially if you should require a CT scan or an MRI.