5 Ways to Treat Chronic Back Pain Without Surgery

11 Sep 5 Ways to Treat Chronic Back Pain Without Surgery

Any pain in the back that lasts 3 months or longer is considered chronic back pain. Dealing with chronic back pain can be daunting, especially if you don’t know what is causing it.

The most common causes of back pain include:

• Arthritis—the gradual thinning of the cartilage inside the spine
• Spinal stenosis—narrowing of the spinal canal that may lead to nerve pain
• Disc problems, such as a herniated or bulging disc
• Myofascial pain syndrome—unexplained muscle pain and tenderness

Non-surgical treatments for chronic back pain include the following options.

Physical Therapy

Physical therapy for chronic back pain may include:

• Improving your posture
• Stretching and flexibility exercises
• Aerobic exercises
• Core strengthening

Lifestyle Modifications

With chronic pain, sometimes it’s important to adapt your lifestyle to your limitations. Take a break when doing a strenuous activity. Note which activities worsen your pain and avoid or reduce them. Other important lifestyle changes include losing extra weight and giving up smoking.

Injection-based Treatments

Injection-based treatment options include –

• Nerve blocks to prevent the affected nerve from sending pain signals to the brain
• Epidural steroid injections to reduce inflammation and pain
• Nerve ablations to damage the pain-causing nerve

Alternative Treatments

Alternative treatments, such as Acupuncture, massage, and electrical nerve stimulation can help you find chronic back pain relief.

Medications

Analgesics, anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants and other medications may be prescribed to provide your relief from chronic back pain.