Has persistent back pain been dragging you down? Has it affected your work and your daily life? If so, it’s time to take the necessary steps to tackle your back pain once and for all. If you wish to enjoy a pain-free lifestyle again, visiting your orthopedic specialist will bring you closer to this goal. They have a variety of treatments that can bring you much needed relief.
Here are non-surgical and surgical treatment options you can discuss with your orthopedic specialist regarding your back pain.
Non-Surgical Treatment Options For Back Pain
The first approach to treating your back pain will be one or a combination of different non-surgical treatments. It is always recommended that you try non-surgical treatments first, so that surgery can be saved as a last resort option. Here are the different non-surgical treatment options for back pain:
Physical Therapy
In terms of treating back pain, exercise is a must-try. Improving mobility is vital when it comes to managing back pain. Physical therapy can help increase your overall spinal function by improving flexibility and mobility, and by reducing stiffness.
The best thing about physical therapy is that the exercises fit your specific needs. You can expect a combination of various routines, such as core strengthening, aerobics, stretching, and flexibility exercises. You will do physical therapy with your physical therapist once or twice a week, along with at-home exercises, as instructed.
Epsom Salt (or Magnesium Salt) Bath
Epsom salt, also known as magnesium salt, can help reduce inflammation and swelling. It can provide much-needed relaxation for your muscles. Soaking in a warm bath with Epsom salt can help ease your symptoms significantly, especially after a long hard day. This is typically effective for back pain caused by strained soft tissues.
Wearing A Supportive Brace
Sometimes, your back pain may result from bad body posture. Pain is often your body’s signal to warn you that your body mechanics do not align properly. To help maintain proper posture, your doctor may recommend wearing a supportive brace.
Pain Relievers
Your doctor may recommend pain relieving medications depending on what kind of back pain you have. Here are a few examples:
- Over-the-counter (OTC) pain medicine, like ibuprofen or naproxen sodium
- Topical pain relievers in the form of cream, gel, patches, or ointments
- Muscle relaxants
If you don’t find relief from these OTC pain relievers, your doctor may suggest prescription medicine. While this is not a permanent fix, pain relievers are a great way to relieve symptoms temporarily while your body heals.
Pain Relief Injections
If your back pain persists despite following the previously mentioned treatment options, your doctor may recommend injection-based treatment. Injection therapy involves injecting medicine into the problem area. The medicine can relieve pain better than oral medication can because it goes directly into the problem area instead of going through the digestive tract, and results typically last for a few months at a time.
Surgical Treatment Options For Back Pain
In some situations, non-surgical treatments fail to bring back pain relief. If this is the case for you, surgery may be the right solution to solve the underlying problem.
Here are two of the most common types of spinal surgeries:
Lumbar Discectomy
Lumbar discectomy helps relieve severe back pain and restore spinal function. This procedure aims to ease the pressure on your nerves or spinal cord.
Your provider may perform the surgery in two ways: open or arthroscopic surgery.
Open surgery will require the need of about an inch-long incision to perform the necessary steps. On the other hand, some cases only require an arthroscopic procedure, which requires a smaller incision and specialized tools.
Spinal Fusion
Spinal fusion works by decreasing the pressure on your nerves. It also aims to strengthen your spine.
This procedure permanently connects two or more of your spine’s vertebrae. Your surgeon will perform this connection using artificial parts. Ultimately, this will eliminate the painful sensation caused by the problematic vertebrae and promote healing.
Reliable Back Pain Treatment In Dover, NJ
Don’t let back pain hold you back any longer. Our team of expert orthopedic specialists at Orthopedic Associates of West Jersey is here to provide you with comprehensive care designed to get to the root cause of your symptoms.
Call us today at (973) 989-0888. You may also use our easy online appointment request form to secure an appointment with the best orthopedist near you.
