Lower back pain is a common reason why people seek medical care. It can be mild, moderate, or severe. Low back pain can be extreme, affecting your movement or daily duties. Sometimes pain can radiate to your legs or include other symptoms like stiffness, posture problems, and muscle spasms. Common causes of lower back pain Northern Virginia include injuries, fractures, structural issues, disc problems, or medical conditions like arthritis. You are more likely to have lower back pain if your occupation involves heavy lifting or bending, you are obese, or aging. Below are ways you can manage your lower back pain.
Home remedies
Home remedies can help relieve certain cases of back pain. Consult your doctor if your pain does not improve after seventy-two hours. Heat and cold therapies can help relieve low back pain. Placing a warm compressor on your lower back can increase blood flow, reducing pain and speeding up healing. Ice cold therapy can help ease swelling and pain. Changing sleeping or sitting positions can also help reduce back pain.
Medications
Over-the-counter drugs like acetaminophen and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen can help relieve lower back pain. If over-the-counter medications are ineffective, your doctor can prescribe stronger non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines or opioids. If you have muscle spasms, your provider may prescribe muscle relaxants. Antidepressants can also help relieve chronic low back pain. Experts believe antidepressants influence chemical messengers that affect pain signals in your body.
Physical therapy
Your physical therapist can develop an exercise program to help relieve low back pain. Exercises help strengthen core muscles that support your back. Your therapist can also teach you how to sit, stand, or move in a posture that properly aligns your spine. Physical therapy improves flexibility and helps you avoid another back injury. This treatment is also beneficial after surgery to help restore motion and strengthen back muscles.
Hands-on therapy
Hands-on therapy like massage and spinal manipulation can help relieve your lower back pain. Research shows that massage for ten consecutive weeks helps improve pain and function if you have chronic back pain. You can have pain relief for about six months. Massage can be beneficial if your back pain results from tense or overworked muscles. Spinal manipulation can help alleviate structural issues of your spine and restore lost mobility.
Surgery
Your doctor can suggest surgery to treat lower back pain that does not respond to other treatments or if you have severe persistent pain. If your low back pain cause loss of bowel and bladder control or numbness, weakness, or tingling in your arms and legs, your doctor may recommend surgery. There are various lower back surgeries that can help relieve pain. If a herniated disc is pressing on a nerve, your surgeon may recommend a discectomy to eliminate the bulging disc. A laminectomy can decompress a region pressing on your nerves or spinal cord. Spinal fusion can help stabilize your spine.
Lower back pain can result from injuries, medical conditions, or structural issues. You can manage your low back pain through home remedies, medications, physical therapy, hands-on therapies, or surgery. Schedule an appointment with Interventional Pain and Regenerative Medicine Specialists for low back pain treatment to restore your normal movement.