Nearly 31 million Americans experience ongoing and recurring lower back pain. Back and neck pain are unfortunately a common reality for many Americans.
While the staff at Kuether Brain & Spine strive to find a long-term solution, there are some forms of temporary pain management that could be beneficial to mitigating day-to-day pain.
Note: Each of the treatments below should be recommended by a medical professional after a thorough exam.
Self-treating with one of the following alternative, temporary treatments without a medical professionals’ supervision can delay healing or can be harmful to one’s health.
- Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS): TENS units can provide temporary pain relief by administering electrodes or small electrical impulses to a targeted area. Often battery operated, the TENS unit’s electrodes overwhelm the area’s nervous system and reduce the transmitting pain signals.
- Massage Therapy: Massage therapy can be useful for both the mental and physical elements of back pain as it relaxes the mind and can ease symptoms of chronic pain.This pain management tool can be particularly helpful for pregnant women facing back pain.
- Meditation: While meditation does not correlate physical healing, meditation can help those who practice it induce a state of mental and physical calm, which can help reduce chronic pain aggravation. Mindfulness meditation is especially popular for pain management usages.
- Sleep: Unfortunately many Americans who suffer from back pain also experience insomnia or a lack of adequate sleep due to the pain they experience. Sleep deprivation stresses the body, which in turn worsens chronic back pain. It is recommended if your chronic pain is interfering with your sleep, you should discuss it immediately with a medical professional to find a solution to both issues.
- Posture Correction: Whether it’s through exercise training, a wearable device or a more ergonomic environment, retraining posture can significantly help reduce back pain. Improper posture notoriously contributes to lower back pain and can make chronic conditions flare. Just like breaking any bad habit, fixing posture takes time and dedication to replace with a positive habit.
