What To Do When You Encounter Back Pain
By Eddie Tobey, Thu Dec 8th

“Ouch– my back hurts,” you moan, reaching for your sore,pinched, or strained backside. This is an all-too commonscenario for many of us. More than 65 million Americans sufferfrom back pain every year. It is the most frequent complaintfrom people seeking medical care.

Advances in medicine have created many treatment options forpeople seeking back pain relief. Alternative treatments haveincreased in number and availability as well. However, there isstill no “miracle cure” able to rid the world of back pain onceand for all. Since the intensity, causes and specific conditionsvary with each patient, you need to discuss treatment optionswith a health care professional in order to tailor treatment toyour specific condition.

Patients have an almost daunting number of choices ofmedications, some of which alleviate not only back pain butreduce inflammation, muscle tension, and spasms too.Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) include aspirin,ibuprofen, and a host of prescription medicines. Takenregularly, these medications can significantly reduceinflammation and resulting back pain, and also provide back painrelief when taken during acute episodes. One common side effectof NSAIDs that should be taken into consideration is theirpropensity for causing gastrointestinal upset.

Acetaminophen comes in many over-the-counter medications. Itacts as an analgesic, and is often used to treat acute pain.These medications can be taken alone or in conjunction withNSAIDs. Potential harmful side effects of acetaminophen includeliver and kidney damage.

Doctors sometimes prescribe opioids or muscle relaxants forsevere pain, but

these medications can be habit-forming.

Acupuncture has been used in China for over 2,000 years and wasfirst popularized in the United States in the 1970s. Thisancient alternative to traditional ‘Western’ medicine hasreceived validation by research studies which have documentedacupuncture’s beneficial effects on patients, but many withinthe medical community are wary of relying too heavily on thisform of treatment, as modern medicine has not been able to fullyexplain how acupuncture works.

Another alternative treatment, chiropractic, is based on theunderstanding that a properly functioning nervous system isessential for good health. The spinal column is quite literallythe ‘backbone’ of the nervous system, because the spinal cord isencased inside it, as well as nerve roots that branch out intothe entire body. Chiropractors adjust the spine of patients,aligning the vertebrae and correcting stress-inducingimbalances.

Your doctor may prescribe physical therapy, which helps patientsbuild strength and increase flexibility. Physical therapycombines exercise with massage, heat/cold therapy, ultrasound,and electrical stimulation.

It is essential that you know what is causing your back pain soyou can get the right treatment for you. Your doctor plays acrucial role in diagnosing and prescribing treatment for yourcondition, but in order to achieve the most effective treatment,you must take an active role in your healthcare also.

About the author:Pain Relief Infoprovides detailed information on arthritis, back, joint, lowerback, natural, chronic, neck, sciatica, knee, fibromyalgia, andmuscle pain relief. Pain Relief Info is the sister site of Acid Reflux Web.