Treatment for lower back pain
Treatment for lower back pain can be a challenge due to the polymorphism of this medical condition. If you are feeling persistent pain in your lower back, you first want to visit your doctor to be diagnosed with the problem. After completing your diagnosis, you will want to review the different types of lower back pain treatment.
Most problems involving lower back pain can be treated moderately, while certain conditions may require you to have surgery. Most patients suffering from back pain will begin feeling relief two weeks after starting treatment.
Some of the treatments for lower back pain are very basic. You may only be required to rest or exercise while undergoing physical therapy. The most critical factor in treating lower back pain is controlling your treatments.
Listed below are different methods of treatment for lower back pain
Medications for lower back pain relief
Many doctors prescribe medications as treatment for lower back pain to reduce pain. Pills like aspirin are taken orally, and medicines that don’t require prescriptions are often used.
If this isn’t strong enough, doctors will often begin prescribing opioids. These usually add to your medicine and are generally ingested as codeine. Sometimes, more potent opioids, such as morphine, are used. Occasionally, patients may experience undesirable side effects when taking medications for back pain.
Physical therapy for lower back pain relief
This is another lower back pain treatment; patients with severe back pain may also need physical therapy. Some forms of physical therapy are more passive than others.
Surgery
This option for treating back pain involves making incisions on the organs or tissues that are responsible for the pain. If the pain results from a herniated disc, degenerative disc, spinal stenosis, compressed fracture, or spondylolisthesis, surgery will be recommended to fix the problem.
There are other treatment options for back pain. These treatments are often referred to as natural treatments. You will be pleasantly surprised by how effective these can be in handling your lower back problems. Lots of other people suffering from back-related issues have benefited from these.
All you need to know about back pain
Back pain affects nearly 80% of Americans; the most common form is low back pain. Because you rely on your back for almost every move you make, it is vulnerable to injury. Back pain can even be disabling. It is one of the most common problems, prompting a visit to your doctor and causing you to miss work. It is the second-highest cause of disability in people under 45.
Low back pain, also known as lumbago or lumbar region, affects the area of the back that starts below the ribcage. It is a common disorder that most people will likely experience at some point. In fact, it is the leading cause of job-related disability in many countries. Several potential factors cause the condition, including a sprain or strain, pressure, infection, and muscle swelling. Because back pain can sometimes be a symptom of a serious ailment, it should be taken care of immediately.
Categories of lower back pain
Axial lower back pain—mechanical or simple back pain
Axial lower back pain is the most common of the three. It is felt only in the lower back area, with no pain radiating to other body parts. It is sometimes called mechanical back pain or simple back pain.
Axial lower back pain can vary greatly. It may be sharp or dull, constant or intermittent. On a scale of 1 to 10, you may rate its intensity as one or 10. It may increase with a particular activity, such as tennis. It may worsen in certain positions, such as sitting at a desk. Rest may or may not be able to relieve it.
Radicular lower back pain (sciatica)
Radicular lower back pain is commonly referred to as sciatica. It is felt in the lower back area, thighs, and legs.
Radicular pain often begins in the lower back and follows a specific nerve path into the thighs and legs. Your leg pain may be much worse than your back pain. It is often deep and steady. It may readily be reproduced with specific activities and positions, such as sitting or walking.
Lower back pain with referred pain
Lower back pain with referred pain is not as joint-related as axial or radicular back pain. The same conditions that cause axial lower back pain may also cause this pain, which does not radiate down the thighs and legs.
You will usually feel referred pain in the lower back area, radiating into your groin, buttocks, and upper thigh. The pain may move around, but it will rarely go below your knee. It is often an achy, dull pain. It tends to come and go. Sometimes, it is very sharp, but other times, it is only a soft sensation. Simple axial back pain can result from an identical injury or issue. Often, it is no longer severe.
Symptoms of lower back pain
Lower back pain symptoms vary from a shooting or stabbing sensation to a dull ache. The pain might make it difficult to stand up straight or move. The sufferer may experience sudden, acute pain after sustaining an injury from lifting heavy objects or playing sports. The condition is chronic if the pain lasts more than three months. You should speak with your healthcare professional if the pain disappears after 72 hours.
You should consult your doctor immediately if you experience acute pain after an injury or a fall. Other low back symptoms include urinating or coughing pain, fever, leg weakness, and bladder or bowel control loss. See your physician immediately if you experience any of the symptoms stated here with back pain.
Causes of low back pain
Because the neurological system is complex, it is difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of low back pain. The causes of lower back pain are divided into categories: mechanical, injuries, acquired disorders or diseases, infections, or tumors.
Mechanical causes:
These are problems with how the spine works. For example, spondylolisthesis occurs when one vertebra slips forward over another, rubbing the vertebrae together and causing pain. Other mechanical problems are fractures, herniated discs, spinal stenosis, spinal degeneration, and sciatica.
Injuries
This category includes common forms of lower back pain due to injury to the spine or the ligaments and muscles involved with the spine. Severe injuries can result from an accident or fall. Sprains, for example, result if a ligament that supports the spine is pulled or torn due to improper lifting or body mechanics, even twisting the wrong way; fractures can occur from osteoarthritis, which causes the bones to become brittle and weak.
Acquired disorders
These are medical problems that you might have been born with, such as scoliosis (abnormal curvature of the spine), and other issues that you acquired, such as arthritis (osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis), which can lead to fractures; musculoskeletal pain syndromes such as fibromyalgia; spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal putting pressure on the spine or nerves); and even pregnancy.
Infection/Tumors
Although not expected, infection can cause lower back pain if it involves the vertebrae. Two examples are osteomyelitis (infection and inflammation of the vertebrae) and discitis (infection in the discs). Although rare, tumors can also cause lower back pain. These can be benign or cancerous but usually result from cancer that has spread from another area of the body.
A natural treatment for lower back pain
Natural treatment for lower back pain has been proven effective in treating lower back pain without any side effects; this is why most people are looking into this treatment method. Listed below are the most common natural treatments for lower back pain
Home remedies for lower back pain
Home remedies for back pain are natural remedies that can be quickly done or prepared at home to ease the pain associated with back pain.
Depending on the source of your back pain and its severity, you might try a few home remedies for low back pain to help ease the pain until your back returns to normal.
Listed below are several options for home treatment for back pain to consider:
Massage is one of the most effective forms of natural treatment for lower back pain
Massage for lower back pain is an essential home treatment for lower back pain. You can do an essential massage yourself using different devices, a.k .a. massagers, let a family member do it, or use help from a professional. Massage for low back pain helps to relieve tension, muscle pain, and muscle spasms and increases circulation, range of motion, flexibility, and so on. It is beneficial and straightforward; thus, this is the most popular home remedy for lower back pain. Other benefits of the massage for lower back pain include:
- Improves back function
- Reduces the use of anti-inflammatory medications
- Minimizes days in bed
Cold and heat therapy is the most popular natural treatment for lower back pain.
Cold therapy is a perfect home remedy for lower back pain because it helps to decrease muscle pain, spasms, and inflammation. The best time to use cold therapy is right after a strain or sprain.
Apply cold to your back area using an ice cube, a cold bath, or cold packs. Hot therapy is also beneficial and an excellent home treatment for lower back pain; it relaxes tense muscles, decreases muscle spasms, relieves pain, and can increase the range of motion. You can apply heat to your back with a hot compress or bath.
Treatment for back pain at home is widespread; many people try it before considering professional help.
Yoga – very effective natural treatment for lower back pain
Yoga for lower back pain comprises different poses. Yoga for lower back pain is a broad discipline that involves practicing specific postures or yoga poses for lower back pain, breathing exercises, and relaxation techniques.
Yoga for lower back pain helps to stretch and strengthen muscles and improve posture, although you might need to modify some poses if they aggravate your symptoms.
Yoga, as one of the options for home treatment for lower back pain, is the best way to eliminate your pain for good. If you follow the right program, you can expect relief quickly. The longer you wait and hesitate, the more severe your pain gets. So get started today.
Stretches for lower back pain relief are essential to any natural treatment for lower back pain.
Stretches for lower back pain are one of the treatments for back pain at home that can help reduce the symptoms of lower back pain. There are different stretches for lower back pain, but you must stretch your lower back with safety and care. Be incredibly gentle and cautious if you have any injuries or health concerns. It’s best to talk to your healthcare provider first.
Stretches for lower back pain relief can also loosen up tense muscles and strengthen those needing help. Anytime you begin stretching, you should approach each step gently. Stop any stretching exercise that causes pain, such as forcing a stretch or straining.
The following lower back pain relief stretches may help relieve back pain. You can do these stretches once or twice a day. But if the pain worsens or you’re feeling very sore, take a day off from stretching. People should hold each stretch for 30 seconds or as long as it feels comfortable.
- Cobra Pose: Lying on your stomach, with your hands face down beside your shoulders, gently lift your chest so that the top of your head points toward the ceiling.
- Cat-Cow Pose: Beginning on your hands and knees, slowly alternate between arching your back toward the ceiling and dipping it toward the floor.
- Child’s Pose: Sitting on the heels with your knees hip-width apart, lean forward to place your head on the floor, stretching your arms out in front of your head.
Acupuncture for lower back pain is the #1 natural treatment for lower back pain
Acupuncture for back pain is one of the natural remedies for back pain and inflammation that involves inserting very thin needles into strategic points on your body at various depths. Scientific studies have indicated that acupuncture works well for back pain.
Acupuncture for back pain releases chemicals from the spinal cord, muscles, and brain, naturally relieving pain.
Acupuncture for Back Pain
Acupuncture for back pain is a prevalent treatment in the pain control industry. Multiple studies have indicated that acupuncture works well, achieves good results and relief in a short time, and initiates long-term remission after regular treatment that consists of 12 sessions.
Nowadays, it is common for many people to suffer from back pain. Various studies show how acupuncture treatment for back pain can bring fast and stable relief and prevent a recurrence.
Acupuncture for back pain is meant to find and release tension at specific points. This leads to pain relief and milder symptoms. Also, if practiced regularly, back pain acupuncture can prevent the pain from reappearing. This practice, used in traditional Chinese medicine, has been proven beneficial for all illnesses. Still, this healing is commonly associated with pain control, especially acupuncture for back pain.
Back pain acupuncture and acupuncture for pinched nerves are beneficial for relieving symptoms in the affected area because they facilitate the removal of tension. The trick about the needles used in this practice is that they boost the nervous system and determine its ability to release chemicals such as serotonin and endorphins in the bloodstream, brain, and muscles. Moreover, the blood flow is increased due to the pressure they exert on the body. Hence, acupuncture treatment for back pain focuses on stimulating a patient’s inner energy to heal the body and prevent the reappearance of back pain. The energy flow is crucial for those suffering from different types of pain because it restores balance and leads to the disappearance of pain.
Why Acupuncture for Back Pain is the most effective natural treatment for lower back pain
So, what triggers the appearance of back pain? Injured muscles, muscle adhesions, ligaments, or joints are the source of pain most frequently. Various other causes can lead to back pain, but in most cases, it is related to incorrect posture and muscle injuries. The cold is the leading cause of this type of pain. It is defined as the pain that reappears when the cold season arrives and there are many rainy days. The patient will experience a sensation of stiffness, soreness, and uncomfortable pain in the muscles around the loin.
Additionally, there will be limited movement and waves of pain. The sensation will be painful, and the patient will feel cold in the affected areas. There is another case in which the pain occurs suddenly, and it is related to the blood flow. This type of back pain is characterized by the fact that the patient cannot straighten it due to the intense pain. Furthermore, those suffering from kidney deficiency or stones can experience pain that spreads toward the lower back.
Back pain symptoms based on acupuncture science
The acupuncture treatment for back pain is meant to deal with all those symptoms related to back discomfort. It has been proven that lower back pain acupuncture has a beneficial impact on overall health. It can diminish the symptoms and prevent the pain from coming back. This practice focuses on specific points situated on so-called meridians. Meridians are vessels responsible for the proper flow of chi energy. During the acupuncture procedure for lower back pain, needles are inserted to influence the specific meridians to eliminate the pain and create an internal balance between the energy flows in different meridians.
Critical treatment choices include acupuncture for back pain, lower back pain, and a pinched nerve. Back pain acupuncture helps diminish the pain, but it is always recommended to allow the body to heal from within by repeating the sessions 12 times. Remember that at the beginning of a back pain disorder, an individual experiences sharp back pain. This pain can be eliminated after regular treatment. But if a patient ignores the symptoms, the pain can become chronic, more stable, persistent, and complex to treat. Moreover, it is to get this ancient traditional Chinese treatment for back pain and then give the rest to medications if necessary.
Get your acupuncture for back pain at Philadelphia Acupuncture Clinic
The bottom line is that acupuncture for lower back pain is considered the number-one natural treatment for lower back pain worldwide. The specialists at the Philadelphia Acupuncture Clinic, under the strict supervision of Dr. Tsan, will offer the best acupuncture strategies and techniques available on the market and ensure you benefit from the treatment.
To schedule an appointment with David Wu, LAc, contact the Philadelphia Acupuncture Clinic at (267) 403-3085 or use the widget below.