The goal of medical treatments is to reduce pain, but these treatments do not change the underlying source of pain. A doctor will typically prescribe medical treatments alongside a physical therapy program or other regimen.
Common Medical Treatments for Pain Relief
Common medical treatments include:
Muscle relaxants
This medication acts as a depressant of the central nervous system and increases the mobility of tense muscles, relieving pain from muscle tightness or spasms. Muscle relaxants have no role in chronic pain management.
Narcotic pain medications
Narcotic medications, also called opioids or painkillers, alter one’s perception of pain by weakening signals sent to the brain. Narcotic medications are most often used for treating intense, short-term pain, such as acute pain after an operation. Narcotics are rarely used to treat long-term pain, as they have many side effects and can easily become addictive.
Back braces
Some patients find that a back brace can be used to provide comfort and possibly reduce pain. There is some evidence that the use of an inelastic corset-style brace, worn daily, in combination with a physical therapy exercise program, can speed healing and reduce pain. A back brace may also be helpful after back surgery.
Epidural steroid injections
This injection involves a steroid administered directly into the outer part of the dural sac called the epidural space, which surrounds the spinal cord. A live X-ray, called fluoroscopy, is used to guide the needle to the correct area. The goal of the injection is to temporarily relieve pain by reducing inflammation around a compressed nerve root.
Medical treatments are often used in combination with other methods. For example, an epidural steroid injection may provide enough short-term pain relief to allow progress in physical therapy.
Alternative Treatments
Non-medical treatments may be referred to as alternative or complementary care. The term “alternative” should not imply inferiority, but instead not traditional according to Western medical standards.
Many patients with low back pain report relief from alternative treatments. Common options include:
Manual manipulation
A chiropractor or other healthcare provider makes physical adjustments to the spine to improve mobility and reduce stiffness, discomfort, or pain. Hand thrusts of varying speed and force are applied to adjust the spinal structures. Manual manipulation has been found to relieve low back pain in some people.
Acupuncture
Based on ancient Chinese medicine, acupuncture stimulates points on the body thought to correct the body’s “qi,” or life force. It is believed that proper qi decreases pain and discomfort in the body. During a session, thin needles are placed in the skin for about an hour. Acupuncture has been shown to provide significant pain relief for some people.
Massage therapy
Applied to the lower back, massage therapy can relieve the muscle spasms that usually contribute to lower back pain. Massage also increases blood flow to the lower back, which speeds up healing by bringing nutrients and oxygen to damaged muscles.
Mindful meditation
Meditation may help reduce the perception of pain and can reduce depression, anxiety, and sleep problems that commonly occur with chronic pain. Meditative techniques for pain reduction include everything from deep breathing exercises to an altered focus approach.
The above is not a comprehensive list; there are many more treatment choices available, including newer and less invasive surgical options.
Precision Pain Care and Rehabilitation has two convenient locations in Richmond Hill – Queens, and New Hyde Park – Long Island. Call the Queens office at (718) 215-1888 or (516) 419-4480 for the Long Island office to arrange an appointment with our Interventional Pain Management Specialists, Dr. Jeffrey Chacko or Dr. Sonny Ahluwalia.
