What Is The Best Treatment For Lower Back Pain? – OTCs
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What is the best treatment for lower back pain? The National Institute of Neurological Disorders reports that lower back pain is a common condition that affects people between 30 and 50 years of age. Discomfort and pain in the lumbar spine are often ongoing and chronic, leading to complications and day-to-day life activities disruption.
Common causes of lower back pain are muscle spasms, pulls, nerve irritation, and conditions like a slipped disc, degenerative disc, herniated disc, spinal stenosis, scoliosis, and spondylolisthesis. Treatment options for lumbar spine pain range depending on the cause, severity, and the patient’s overall health status. Read on!
What is the Best Treatment for Lower Back Pain?
How to avoid back pain? Is medication for back pain effective? What lifestyle changes do you need to make to relieve back pain? These are some of the most common questions asked by back pain patients. According to MINT’s qualified and experienced neurosurgeons, the following strategies can help alleviate lumbar spine pain.
Medication for Back Pain
How to avoid back pain with medication? There are different types of medications available to treat lower back pain. Medication is often the first line of treatment for people with acute lumbar spine pain. Some common options are:
Over-the-Counter (OTC) Drugs
OTC medication and pain relievers are non-invasive back pain treatment options. Common OTC drugs include ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and naproxen. These drugs can reduce back pain effectively by decreasing inflammation in your spinal muscles. For instance, NSAIDs are drugs that block cyclooxygenase or COX enzyme.
A blocked COX leads to reduced prostaglandins production and helps alleviate lower back pain. However, OTC drugs may not relieve back pain symptoms that result from conditions like a compressed disc or herniated disc. Make sure you consult a doctor for better options if these medications fail to provide relief.
Prescription Medications
Your physician or neurosurgeon may prescribe narcotics, anticonvulsant drugs, and antidepressants to treat lower back pain. Although narcotics can help relieve back pain, they can cause addiction and dependency. Studies show that the use of narcotics or opioids for a long time can lead to hormonal imbalance, especially in women.
If you have nerve pain, such as sciatic pain resulting from a bulged disc, you can’t treat it with oral medications. Your doctor will ask you to undergo anesthetic medications or corticosteroid injections to reduce your spinal inflammation.
Lifestyle Changes
A growing body of research evidence highlights that people with lower back pain can get relief by making positive lifestyle changes. For instance, having a bad posture, being obese, heavy alcoholism, and chain-smoking can worsen your back pain symptoms. Here are a few lifestyle changes you can make to alleviate lower back pain symptoms. Continue reading!
Eat Healthily
You may have heard the famous saying, “you are what you eat.” Diets high in fats and sugar can cause weight gain and increase obesity risk, leading to back pain. Many food items, such as sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, artificial Trans-fats, seed oils, vegetable oils, refined carbohydrates, processed meat, and excessive alcohol, can increase inflammation in your spinal muscles.
On the other hand, food rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, such as seafood, including salmon, sardines, mackerel, and leafy green vegetables and fruits, such as cherries, strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries, can reduce inflammation. These fruits are packed with natural anti-inflammatory compounds.
Regular Exercise
What is the best treatment for lower back pain? Is it regular exercising? Research evidence shows that regular exercise, including yoga, Tai Chi, stretching, posture-correction, and core strengthening workouts, can help relieve lower back pain. Unlike back pain medication, low-impact aerobic exercises, such as water sports, brisk walk, and yoga poses like plank, can reduce back pain.
For instance, core exercises such as bridges and pelvic tilts can strengthen your spinal muscles and abdominal, musculoskeletal structures to support your back. When you have stronger spinal muscles, you will experience reduced discomfort and pain.
Quit Smoking
Nicotine consumption through smoking cigarettes can alter your blood vessel size, causing increased damage to your spinal ligaments, muscles, and other structures. Studies show that people who smoke have an increased risk of chronic spinal pain.
Joint a “Quit Smoking” program in your local area and seek expert advice to get rid of this harmful habit. When you quit smoking, your blood vessels will restore their original size and improve the blood flow to your spine, increasing the adequate supply of oxygen and nutrients.
Final Words
Experts at MINT believe that medication and lifestyle changes, including regular exercise and a healthy diet, can help relieve lower back pain. However, if these lifestyle changes do not reduce your back pain, make sure you consult a qualified neurosurgeon for advanced treatment options. What is the best treatment for lower back pain? If you want to know more, contact us today!
