Non-surgical Treatments For Back Pain
By Ron King, Thu Dec 8th

If you suffer from severe back pain and fear that surgery may benecessary, or if surgery has been recommended and you questionthe wisdom of it, you may want to try some non-surgical physicaltreatments first.

Unless your back pain is due to an infection, malformation ofthe back, or tumor, some type of physical treatment can probablyhelp it. Let's look at a few of the more popular and effectivetypes of treatment.

Chiropractic Therapy

Chiropractic treatment has been shown to be most effective whenapplied within 2 months of the onset of back pain. Chiropractorsrealign the spine, increase the range of motion in back muscles,increase the flexibility of spinal soft tissue, break down scartissue, and reduce pressure from constricted and misalignedspinal joints, all of which help to relieve pain. Usuallytreatment takes around 15 minutes 3 times a week at first. Overa few weeks sessions decrease until you are on a maintenanceprogram of once a month or even "come come only if it hurts."

Acupuncture

Studies by the National Institutes of Health show thatacupuncture is very effective in treating back pain. Accordingto the theory of acupuncture, energy (known as chi) flowsthrough the body along pathways called meridians. If the flow ofchi is interrupted, pain or illness can result.

An acupuncturist uses very thin needles inserted into the skinalong the meridians to correct the flow of chi. You may besurprised to learn that acupuncture is rarely described aspainful. In fact, many people find it relaxing and even fallasleep during treatment.

Physical Therapy

A good physical therapist will combine passive and activetreatments, since exercise is essential to the long termimporvement in back pain.

Active therapy involves the patient's participation. Thetherapist will determine which exercises are best for aparticular condition, and supervise you in those exercises toensure 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 throughintact skin using an electric current).

Other Alternatives to Surgery

In addition to these 3 modalities, many other non-surgicaltreatments exist for back pain, among them massage, and the useof 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 articlemay be reprinted only if the resource box is left intact.