Back discomfort can be both inconvenient and incapacitating, and you must learn to avoid having it interfere with your regular activities or eliminate it. Here are several strategies you may use to get rid of back pain efficiently, whether it’s upper back discomfort that’s killing your day or lower back discomfort that’s been bothering you for weeks.

Therapeutic exercise

Treatment for chronic back pain begins with exercise, and you should try it as one of the first treatments under the supervision of your orthopedic doctor and a spine physical therapist. But not everyone responds well to the same workouts, so exercises must be customized for your unique symptoms and condition. Success also heavily relies on maintaining a fitness regimen at home.

Your doctor for orthopedics may suggest the following activities for persistent back pain:

• Practicing good posture
• Analyzing the pain threshold
• Flexibility drills and stretches
• Aerobic exercises
• Strengthening of the core

Oral medications

Your orthopedic physician could recommend any of the following drugs, depending on the degree of your back pain or how long you’ve experienced it:

• Muscle relaxants
• Antidepressants
• Narcotic medication (only prescribed for severe back pain).
• Medications for topical pain (e.g., creams, patches, or ointments)

Epidural Steroid Injections (ESIs)

Your orthopedic doctor can suggest administering epidural steroid injections if oral drugs aren’t providing you with enough comfort. ESIs injected directly into the area surrounding your spinal nerves (epidural space) offer rapid relief by covering the inflamed nerves and lowering swelling. The effectiveness of ESIs can last for several months, and they are frequently delivered with imaging guidance to assure accuracy.

Surgery

Your orthopedic doctor can advise surgery to solve the issue permanently if your back pain has gotten so bad that it is intolerable and nonsurgical treatment options are no longer effective. Your physician may advise any of the following procedures, depending on the underlying reason for your back pain:

• To stabilize the spine, your doctor may perform spinal fusion, which entails fusing two or more vertebrae.
• Replacing a damaged disc with a prosthetic part is what your orthopedic surgeon means by “disc replacement.”
• To relieve pressure on your spinal cord or the afflicted nerve, your orthopedic surgeon may perform a treatment called a laminectomy, in which they remove a small portion of your spine’s bones.

Alternative therapies

Chronic back pain can also benefit from nonsurgical spine treatments like acupuncture, massage, biofeedback therapy, laser therapy, electrical nerve stimulation, and others. Consult your orthopedic doctor about the potential benefits of alternative treatments.

Lifestyle adjustments

Accepting your limitations and adapting is crucial when suffering from chronic pain. Learn to pace yourself and pay attention to your body. When cutting the lawn, stop and rest. When carrying groceries, take numerous trips. Make a list of the activities that worsen your discomfort and, if possible, stay away from them. This not only relieves some of the pain in your back, but it also stops the underlying disease from getting worse.

The end note

You can rely on an orthopedic specialist to get you feeling better if you have back pain.