Non-Surgical Treatments For Back Pain
If you suffer from severe back pain and fear that surgery may be
necessary, or if surgery has been recommended and you question
the wisdom of it, you may want to try some non-surgical physical
treatments first.
Unless your back pain is due to an infection, malformation of
the back, or tumor, some type of physical treatment can probably
help it. Let's look at a few of the more popular and effective
types of treatment.
Chiropractic Therapy
Chiropractic treatment has been shown to be most effective when
applied within 2 months of the onset of back pain. Chiropractors
realign the spine, increase the range of motion in back muscles,
increase the flexibility of spinal soft tissue, break down scar
tissue, and reduce pressure from constricted and misaligned
spinal joints, all of which help to relieve pain. Usually
treatment takes around 15 minutes 3 times a week at first. Over
a few weeks sessions decrease until you are on a maintenance
program of once a month or even "come come only if it hurts."
Acupuncture
Studies by the National Institutes of Health show that
acupuncture is very effective in treating back pain. According
to the theory of acupuncture, energy (known as chi) flows
through the body along pathways called meridians. If the flow of
chi is interrupted, pain or illness can result.
An acupuncturist uses very thin needles inserted into the skin
along the meridians to correct the flow of chi. You may be
surprised to learn that acupuncture is rarely described as
painful. In fact, many people find it relaxing and even fall
asleep during treatment.
Physical Therapy
A good physical therapist will combine passive and active
treatments, since exercise is essential to the long term
imporvement in back pain.
Active therapy involves the patient's participation. The
therapist will determine which exercises are best for a
particular condition, and supervise you in those exercises to
ensure that you are doing them correctly. They will include: *
stretching * strength building exercises * aerobic exercise.
Passive therapy is done on you, usually while you are relaxing,
and includes: * heat or cold therapy * electrical stimulation *
ultrasound * massage * iontophoresis (inserting a drug through
intact skin using an electric current).
Other Alternatives to Surgery
In addition to these 3 modalities, many other non-surgical
treatments exist for back pain, among them massage, and the use
of herbs and natural supplements.
About the author:
Visit
Back Pain to learn more. Ron King is a full-time researcher,
writer, and web developer. Copyright 2005 Ron King. This article
may be reprinted only if the resource box is left intact.
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