An estimated 16 million American adults experience chronic back pain. That represents approximately 8% of the entire population. It is important to note that there are a variety of different ways that one can work on treating the root causes of chronic back pain. Knowing some of the options for how to treat the problem puts one in the driver’s seat on the road to pain alleviation.
Long-Term Treatments for Chronic Back Pain
Physical Therapy
There are non-surgical interventions that one can take to alleviate chronic back pain. A good option is physical therapy. This can come in a variety of forms, including:
- Stretching and Flexibility Exercises – Stretching your back muscles and improving your flexibility can help take some of the strain off the muscles you use. When that is the case, your back doesn’t have to carry all the load all the time.
- Testing Pain Tolerance – You can improve the quality of your back muscles by testing your pain tolerance. It will strengthen your back muscles and improve your condition.
- Working on Your Posture – It is undoubtedly true that you can work on your posture to reduce your pain and make your back feel better. You can do simple daily exercises to help create a better posture and experience less pain.
These are all great options for those interested in experiencing less pain.
Dietary Changes
It is easy to fall into the habit of eating certain foods that are highly inflammatory to your back muscles. Everyone should speak to their doctor about which foods they might want to swap from their diets. There might be some foods you must give up entirely, but there may be others you can introduce to your diet that you hadn’t considered enjoying before.
Injection Therapies
Some patients discover that injection therapies are among the best ways to receive the care and treatment they require. There are a handful of different injection therapies to consider such as Nerve blockers, nerve ablations, and epidural steroid injections. You should consult with your doctor about which of these treatments (if any) is right for your situation. Your doctor may have some recommendations intended to steer you in the right direction regarding which treatments are ideal for your situation.
Lifestyle Changes
Sometimes, the best way forward is to understand that you might not be capable of doing all that you once did. You might have to cut back on certain activities if they are simply too straining on your back and the rest of your body. Taking some of the strain off your back means you can start to experience the life-changing reality of finally having some relief from the most challenging elements of dealing with your back pain. Some lifestyle changes can make a positive impact on your chronic back pain.
Don’t give in to despair if you have long suffered from chronic back pain. There are methods of treatment available to you that can make a real difference. If you reach out and contact the team at Southern Pain Clinic we will gladly present you with the information you need about treatments that might be right for you.