Chronic Lower Back Pain Relief

Back pain is not only a nuisance, but it also may keep you from performing the activities you love. Over time, back pain may even keep you from engaging in everyday activities, which can set off a laundry list of negative health effects. If you experience chronic back pain, try these tips for long-lasting pain management.

Lifestyle Tips for Pain Relief

• It is important to seek a physician's opinion when a patient experiences chronic back pain in order to evaluate the patient for pain management opportunities as well as to ensure the pain is not a symptom of a more serious condition. A physician will typically recommend a back pain sufferer utilize conservative treatments, including:
  • Exercise - Exercise is necessary for maintaining a strong and healthy back. Chronic back pain sufferers should engage in physical activity that has a low impact on the back yet strengthens it, such as water aerobics, yoga and Pilates. These all build strength and flexibility without major stress to the back.

  • Pain medications - Over-the-counter pain medications may help to reduce the inflammation that causes pain in the body. However, the medication should not be used to mask the pain so a person can place undue stress on the back (such as for heavy lifting or high-impact exercise). Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin, naproxen sodium and ibuprofen may be helpful in relieving pain. Ask your physician about how these medications should be taken, as long-term use may cause stomach and kidney damage.
  • Topical creams - Products such as Bengay, Icy Hot or capsaicin cream create cold or hot sensations when applied to the skin.
  • Behavior modification - Some patients may be engaging in activities (such as how they sit in their chair at work or in the car) that are creating undue stress on the back. An occupational therapist may be able to recommend modifications for increased comfort.

Prescription Treatments

• If over-the-counter treatments prove unsuccessful in providing pain relief, a physician may prescribe stronger medications, such as:
  • analgesics, such as acetaminophen
  • anti-depressants and anti-convulsants
  • muscle relaxers, which help to reduce back spasms, which may be effective in treating nerve pain
  • NSAIDS, such as aspirin, naproxen and ibuprofen

Invasive Techniques

• A step between conservative methods and surgery, invasive pain management techniques frequently employ injections and implanted devices.
  • Implantable Fusion Pumps - These pumps are surgically implanted and deliver opiates to the affected nerve.
  • Injections - A physician may use an imaging study, such as an X-ray, to inject steroids or anesthetic into nerve points that are causing pain.
  • Prolotherapy - While conclusions over the effectiveness of this product have been mixed, prolotherapy involves injecting a solution to encourage blood circulation in the spine, stimulating ligament repair.
  • Radiofrequency Radioablation - A physician uses heat produced by a device to target the affected nerve and deaden it.

Surgical Options

• Surgery is frequently used as a last resort chiefly because of its highly invasive and complicated nature. The most common surgical method is a spinal fusion, which fuses two vertebrae together in an attempt to remove portions of the spine causing pain and strengthening the spine as a whole.

  A surgeon may recommend an alternate or combination of additional surgical therapies; however, spinal fusion is considered the gold standard (and most well-researched) of these procedures.