Back pain can be managed with medication, physical therapy and specific types of exercise. Management techniques vary, depending on the nature and location of pain. The goals of chronic (long-lasting) pain management are to restore function and prevent permanent disability.
Types
Acute (short-term) back pain may go away on its own within a few days or weeks and require little or no treatment. Chronic back pain lasts more than three months and usually requires medical management.
Treatments
Acute and chronic back pain can be treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Chronic back pain may also require muscle relaxants and, if necessary, cortisone injections or narcotic drugs. Physical therapy treatments for this include hot and cold applications and strengthening exercises.
Goals
The goals of back pain management are to alleviate pain, increase flexibility, restore range of motion, improve posture and strengthen supporting muscles in the back and abdomen.
Warning
Spinal manipulation performed by osteopathic M.D.s and chiropractors can help manage uncomplicated back pain, but it is not effective if it's caused by osteoporosis, inflammatory arthritis or spinal cord compression, according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.
Considerations
Surgery will not relieve back pain unless the source of pain is nerve compression caused by a herniated disk. This type of chronic pain can be relieved by partial removal of a vertebra or disk, disk replacement or vertebrae fusion.
