Back pain is one of the most common medical complaints. It can be scarier than any ghoul or monster coming to your door on Halloween. Most back pain isn’t caused by running from scary creatures either; it’s usually traced to a much more mundane cause — like a muscle strain, injury, overuse or an ongoing spinal condition.
The experienced spine doctors at the Southeastern Spine Institute (SSI) aren’t scared off by back pain. They have a wide array of treatment options for different kinds of back pain. Treating back pain includes things you can accomplish at home with medication and lifestyle changes to procedures such as therapy or surgery that require treatment at the SSI campus.
Before the Doctors
The best approach to back pain treatment, however, is to catch it early. The earlier the better. SSI physicians only recommend surgery as a last resort, but with your cooperation and an early diagnosis, you never have to get there. Additionally, treating back pain early in the process protects you from further harm.
As soon as you feel new back pain, decide on its severity. Treating back pain by yourself may be possible if the pain is mild. The more severe the back pain, the more likely you’re going to need to seek professional medical care at SSI. Some at-home options you can do safely to treat and prevent the initial stages of back pain include:
- Avoid strenuous activities. Instead, rest. If you feel mild pain while moving, try your best to keep away from tasks that require it. At the same time, remember that too much inactivity can lead to more problems, so try to find a happy balance.
- Apply heat and/or ice. While resting or taking breaks from daily life, alternating hot and cold on your back aids in the healing process. Heat can include taking a bath, using a heating pad or applying heat wraps and muscle-relaxing cream. Cold can come from ice packs that reduce swelling.
- Take pain medication. For treating back pain, some over-the-counter pain medications such as aspirin and ibuprofen effectively alleviate the severity of your pain.
- Exercise. Some safe, stress-free, back-friendly exercises such as weightlifting can also help ease and lessen the pain.
Catching back pain early on and doing what you can do at home helps prevent the situation from worsening. It may even put a stop to the pain. Seek medical attention if the pain isn’t reduced or the severity increases.
No Tricks or Treats for Treating Back Pain
You’ll just get the facts after seeing a doctor at SSI. He provides you with accurate answers to any questions you may have about your back pain. Professionals can pinpoint exactly what you’re going to need to heal your back. A few early interventions your SSI doctors might recommend include:
- Medicines. Painkillers such as ibuprofen and aspirin are recommended if you have mild back pain; your doctor may try more powerful, prescription-strength medication too, before trying additional treatments.
- Physical therapy. One of the best forms of care is physical therapy: specialized exercises overseen by a doctor to help strengthen your back, reduce your pain and help prevent future strains.
- Non-invasive treatments. Back pain treatments that are non-invasive include painkilling and anti-inflammatory injections. Your doctor might prescribe a form of steroids, for example, to be injected into your back.
Catching back pain early and going to an experienced professional provides quicker and less painful outcomes. So when the ghosts and superheroes come calling, you can be all about treats and good-natured fun, instead of stewing in pain and cackling like the wicked witch or devilish demon you may feel like when you’re hurting.