5 Potential Back Pain Solutions

It’s tough to say how many individuals will deal with back pain during their lives, but it’s a lot. Nonspecific back pain is something that happens to more people than not at some point, regardless of whether they injured it in some way or they’re just getting older. It’s common for older adults to get out of bed in the morning and feel back stiffness or soreness.

There are multiple different things you might do about back pain. Let’s examine some of the more common ones now.

Back Surgery

Back surgery is certainly possible in some instances. The issue is that:

• It’s only a viable option if doctors can pinpoint a specific problem and treat it this way
• There’s no guarantee that it will work

If you have something like a ruptured disk, surgery might be the best option to help you. However, there’s always a chance you’ll end up in worse condition than before.

There’s an organization called the National Center for Biotechnology Information. They state that over a twenty-seven-year period, the courts reported 234 medical malpractice spine surgery legal cases.

That might not sound like all that many, but it does tell you that surgeons make mistakes, and when it’s your back, you might never walk again. Back surgery is sometimes an option, but you should probably look at it as a last resort. There are several less invasive possibilities, though.

Yoga

People have been doing yoga for centuries. It’s a way to:

• Stretch out your muscles
• Strengthen various muscle groups

Yoga can often help with chronic back soreness, as well as many other musculoskeletal issues. There are yoga studios all over the country now, and you should be able to locate one without very much trouble.

You might have Covid-19 concerns at the moment, and if so, you can look into online yoga classes. There are many different ones that you can take if you use FaceTime, Zoom, or similar technology.

Make sure you talk with the instructor about your specific issues beforehand, so you don’t overdo it in the early going. Start with the basics, and don’t do anything that hurts or feels too ambitious. Listen to what your body tells you.

Pain Medication

You can also use some back-pain relief medication. There are over the counter options like Aleve or Advil, or there are stronger, prescription medications like Codeine, Percocet, and Oxycontin.

You want to start with the over-the-counter options since you can get them easily, and they are not addictive. If they help you, you can begin a regimen, though you should talk with your doctor to make sure you’re not harming yourself. Always follow the bottle’s instructions.

If you have serious, chronic back pain, you might be able to get stronger pain meds. Nonspecific back pain is probably not enough for you to get them. If they’re opioids, those are addictive, and you don’t want to get hooked.

Still, if you have a serious, injury-related back problem, and you can’t do yoga or stretching because of it, these might be your best alternative. Car accident injuries, slip-and-fall accidents, and similar incidents might lead to a doctor prescribing more high-octane medication.

Injections

You also might be able to get pain management injections. You can get an epidural, which should help your acute back pain.

The issue with injections is that pain relief usually does not last for very long. You might feel better for a while, but it’s probably going to become an issue again sooner rather than later.

You can get multiple injections. Some doctors are okay with you getting one every few weeks if you feel like you need it. You might also try the injection along with yoga or some other stretching or exercise program.

Ayurvedic Medication

You can also look into ayurvedic medication options. You might get some Arnica Montana balm or oil, and you can rub it on your back, or a family member can do it for you if you can’t reach. Arnica oil can relieve the pain, and you can apply it throughout the day if you need to.

You can also look into acupuncture. It’s a method where practitioners insert long, thin needles into certain body parts for pain relief. It does work for some people, but not for everyone.

The back is a tricky body part. We still don’t know as much about treating it as we would like. Still, there are at least more options now than there have ever been before.