By Young Lee
Chronic low back pain is one of the
most common neurological ailments in the United States, second only
to headaches. Why is it so common? Part of the problem is the
sedentary nature of our modern lifestyle; if you sit in an office
chair all day long, your back muscles are going to pay the price.
Physical labor can take a toll on your back too, however; heavy
lifting and similar tasks can sometimes cause serious back injuries.
The tension associated with stress and anxiety can also contribute to
back pain. Sometimes back pain is simply genetic. Whatever the cause,
there’s no doubt that chronic low back pain can be incredibly
difficult to cope with.
If you suffer from chronic back pain,
you know how debilitating it can be. Though your pain may be
overwhelming at times, don’t despair: there are many different
treatment options, and some you may have never considered before.
Here are your best bets.
1. Massage
Massage was once considered an
indulgent luxury, a relaxing yet wholly unnecessary frivolity.
Recently, however, studies have shown that massage actually has some
very real medical benefits. In a recent study, Swedish massage
administered over the course of 10 weeks helped reduce pain in
chronic low back pain sufferers better than over-the-counter drugs,
such as ibuprofen. More than a third of the subjects reported that
their pain was nearly, and sometimes completely, eradicated.i
Thanks to findings like these, massage is now increasingly accepted
by the medical community as a legitimate treatment option.
2. Yoga
The practice of yoga encourages
flexibility, strength, and stress relief—all of which can help
alleviate back pain. Multiple studies have confirmed that regularly
practicing yoga does in fact help the majority of chronic low back
pain sufferers.ii
One caveat: a very small minority participants of one study actually
saw their back pain increase after yoga.iii
If you decide to go the yoga route, listen to your body and talk to
your doctor if you notice your pain getting worse.
3. Acupuncture
For a long time, acupuncture was not
taken seriously by Western doctors, who couldn’t understand how
poking small needles into a patient’s skin could provide any sort
of tangible, measurable benefits. Recently, however, studies have
shown that acupuncture does in fact have some real medical merit,
especially in the realm of pain relief. One study in particular
looked at acupuncture in relation to chronic low back pain and found
that participants who received legitimate acupuncture reported high
levels of pain alleviation.iv
If you decide to give acupuncture a try, choose a well-respected,
reputable and experienced acupuncturist.
4. Medication
There are many different medications
that can help you with your back pain. Over-the-counter drugs are
easily accessible and inexpensive, but taking them too often can be
problematic; for example, long-term ibuprofen use can damage your
stomach and intestines. Doctor-prescribed muscle relaxants can help
get you through flare-ups or spasms, but the side effects of these
drugs make them implausible for consistent use. Opioids can provide
effective relief, but should only be used for short periods of time.
A surprising class of medications that can help low back pain is
antidepressants, which work by affecting the neurotransmitters that
communicate pain. Luckily, you don’t just have to rely on your
local Walgreen’s pharmacy
technician to understand all the medications that can
help you—just ask your physician.
5. Exercise
When you’re in the throes of low back
pain, moving around is often the last thing you want to do. It turns
out, however, that gentle exercise is one of the best ways to help
your back feel better. If your back pain is intense, try going for
short, slow walks to help loosen up the muscles. When your pain is
more manageable, aerobic exercise and stretching can help prevent
further flare-ups.
i
http://www.webmd.com/back-pain/news/20110705/study-massage-helps-treat-low-back-pain
ii
http://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/lower-back-pain-yoga-therapy-can-help
iii
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22041945
iv
http://www.umm.edu/news/releases/back_pain.htm
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