Getting The Best Low Back Pain Treatment For You
Low back pain is a painful condition affecting the lower portion of the spine. It is caused by injury to a muscle (strain) or ligament (sprain). Common causes include improper lifting, poor posture, lack of regular exercise, a fracture, a ruptured disc, or arthritis.
If and when experiencing symptoms, it is advisable to visit a chiropractor near you.
Low Back Pain Treatments
There are several options for low back pain and can be tailored to an individual patient’s needs by a local Chiropractor in Vancouver.
Treatment includes care administered at home, medical remedies, alternatives care, or even surgery. All this will depend on the patient’s diagnosis. Some are more effective than others, and others work best as a combination.
Self-Care for Low Back Pain
Essential and regular remedies applied at home can effectively treat mild and acute pain from muscle strain and reduce chronic pain. This kind of treatment is administered by the individual and can be easily adjusted.
Such methods include:
- Activity Modification
This is a variant of resting, but one is to stay active but avoid activities and positions that aggravate the pain. This will prevent and reduce painful back spasms and allow for a better healing environment.
- Short Rest Period
The majority of low back pain can be improved by briefly avoiding strenuous activity. It is advised for more than a few days’ rest, as too much rest and inactivity can make healing more difficult.
- Heat/Ice Therapy
This is one of the first options that come to mind when dealing with low back pain at home. The heat from a warm bath, electric heating pad or hot water bottle can relax muscles and improve one’s blood flow.
If the low back pain is due to inflammation, ice or cold pack can reduce swelling. It is important to protect the skin while applying heat or ice to prevent tissue damage.
- Exercise
Non- Surgical Treatments for Low Back Pain
Medical treatment reduces pain, but some of these low back pain treatments in Vancouver, WA, do not change the pain’s underlying source. A local Chiropractor in Vancouver typically prescribes medical treatments alongside a physical therapy program or other regimens.
- Muscle relaxants
They act as depressants of the central nervous systems. It increases the mobility of tense muscles, relieving pain from muscle tightness and spasms.
- Narcotic pain medications
These medications are most often used in treating intense short-term pain. They are rarely used for long-term pain as they have many side effects and are highly addictive.
- Back braces
This, in combination with physical therapy, can speed up healing and reduce pain. Back braces are also recommended after back surgery.
- Epidural steroid injections
Epidural steroid injections involves a steroid injected directly into the epidural area surrounding the spinal cord. The injection is administered to reduces inflammation around a compressed nerve root hence relieving pain.
- Manual Manipulation
A chiropractor near you makes physical adjustments to the spine to improve mobility and reduce stiffness, discomfort, or pain.
Alternative Treatments
- Acupuncture
- Massage therapy
- Mindful meditation
Surgery for Low Back Pain
This is only considered for severe low back pain that does not get better after 6-12 weeks of non-surgical treatments or by a patient’s decision to have one.
- Decompression surgeries
This surgery removes whatever is pressing on a nerve root from the spinal column. The two primary types are microdiscectomy and laminectomy.
Decompression surgery can be performed for low back pain treatment in Vancouver, WA. It uses minimally invasive techniques with relatively small incisions. It has little discomfort and recovery period before returning to work or other activities.
- Lumbar spinal fusion option
This involves the surgical removal of soft tissue within two or more adjacent vertebral bones. The removed tissue is replaced with bone or metal. The fusion surgery enables the bones to grow together over time, fusing into one long bone to stabilize and put an end to motion at those spinal segments.
Other surgical options include:
- Lumbar artificial disc
- Posterior motion device
Are you are experiencing low back pain or related symptoms? Contact our local chiropractor in Vancouver. They will advise which treatment option is best to take, depending on your low back pain severity.