Lower Back Pain Relief: Discover the Best Treatment and Solutions

Proven Methods for Lower Back Pain Relief

If you’ve ever battled lower back pain, you know how nagging and exhausting it can be. Pain medications can be helpful in the short term but can be dangerous when taken for extended periods. They frequently only dull the pain instead of addressing the underlying issue. Relief from injections is often ineffective or short-lived, and you also risk changing the composition of your tissue with repeated injections. Some therapies can even exacerbate your lower back pain. Surely, there’s something or multiple things you can do to rid yourself of this pain.

You’re not alone in this struggle. At least 80% of adults will experience lower back pain at some point in their lives. So, how can we work to free you from this pain if most treatments are ineffective? The good news is that you don’t have to resign yourself to living with this pain. There are solutions available for lower back pain relief.

You might wonder if there’s something your doctor can prescribe to relieve lower back pain. If this condition is so common, surely there is a solid, proven fix! Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all solution; it typically takes a combination of effort and time to get through an episode of pain.

Pain Medications

Painkillers and certain types of muscle relaxers can be helpful in the short term to relieve debilitating pain and help you get a good night’s sleep when you’re hurting from an injury or a “my back went out!” incident. However, long-term usage of prescription pain medications is not a viable management option. Prolonged use of over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen and acetaminophen can increase your risk of stomach, cardiac, liver, and kidney issues.

Steroid Injections

Just like pain medications, injections can be helpful for the short-term, immediate treatment of pain or swelling. However, multiple injections can cause tissue damage over time, limiting their use. Here’s how steroid injections can lead to tissue damage and impact your quest for lower back pain relief:

1. Cartilage Deterioration: Repeated steroid injections can lead to the deterioration of cartilage, the smooth tissue that cushions the ends of bones at the joints. This can result in the loss of cartilage, leading to more pain and potentially worsening the underlying condition.
2. Tendon Weakness and Rupture: Steroids can weaken tendons, the fibrous connective tissues that attach muscles to bones. This can increase the risk of tendon tears or ruptures, which are serious injuries that may require surgical repair.
3. Bone Thinning: Prolonged use of corticosteroids can lead to osteoporosis, a condition characterized by weakened bones that are more susceptible to fractures. This is particularly concerning in weight-bearing areas like the spine.
4. Soft Tissue Atrophy: Steroid injections can cause the atrophy or wasting away of soft tissues, including muscles and skin. This can lead to decreased muscle strength and support, making it more difficult to maintain proper posture and movement, thereby exacerbating pain.
5. Joint Infection: Although rare, there is a risk of infection at the injection site. Infections can lead to further complications, including increased pain and the need for additional medical treatment.
6. Nerve Damage: Repeated injections near nerves can potentially cause damage to those nerves, leading to increased pain, numbness, or weakness in the affected area.

Due to these risks, medical professionals typically limit the frequency of steroid injections. They are often recommended as part of a broader treatment plan that includes other therapies, such as physical therapy, to address the root cause of pain and promote long-term recovery. It’s crucial to have a thorough discussion with your healthcare provider about the benefits and risks of steroid injections for your specific condition.

Chiropractic Care

Chiropractors use hands-on techniques to manipulate the spine and hips to treat lower back pain. They often incorporate soft tissue work, stretching, electrical stimulation of the muscles, and heat or cold application. Personally, I prefer a Gonstead Chiropractor over other types of chiropractors. I find that my body responds better to their manipulations.

Physical Therapy

A great physical therapist can help assess and treat low back pain. Once the pain decreases and your quality of life improves, your physical therapist can help you create a preventive exercise and stretching routine. This proactive approach can help maintain your progress and prevent future episodes of pain, contributing to long-term lower back pain relief.

Massage Therapy

As a fan of massage therapy, I’ve had great results treating low back pain in my own practice. A growing body of research supports the use of massage therapy for lower back pain relief.

One study showed that weekly whole-body Swedish massages for relaxation and weekly massages focused on the lower back and hips alleviated some of the pain—at least 2 to 4 points on the pain scale. This improvement level is better than the relief found in over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen.

The study also indicated that regular massage sessions can alleviate enough pain for many with chronic back pain to engage in strengthening and aerobic exercises, further reducing pain.

Our goal with regular massage sessions is to locate the source of your pain and work to lessen it. We aim to improve your physical function and help you get your life back on track. Lower back pain can significantly affect your life, from limiting physical activity to impacting time with family and even simple activities like tying your shoes or pulling laundry out of the dryer. The persistent discomfort can be overwhelming.

While there may not be a single, definitive cure for lower back pain, a multi-faceted approach can provide significant lower back pain relief. Combining short-term solutions like pain medications and injections with longer-term treatments such as chiropractic care, physical therapy, and massage therapy can help manage and reduce your pain. Remember, you don’t have to endure this pain alone—many effective treatments are available to help you regain control of your life.