Treatment options
In most situations, back pain goes away in a few weeks after using self-care or conservative treatment measures. If those measures are unsuccessful, your doctor will recommend more aggressive treatment. Below is a summary of the stages of back pain treatment.
Early treatment
As long as you don’t have any red flag conditions with your back pain, there are some simple steps you can take to help your back heal:
- Apply ice to ease pain and swelling. If ice doesn’t seem to help, you can try alternating between heat and ice or try heat alone.
- Take an over-the-counter pain reliever or anti-inflammatory medicine.
- Limit bed rest to no more than two days.
- Carefully resume your normal activities as you are able, but avoid activities that strain your back.
Most people feel better after using these self-care measures for a few weeks. If you are not improving, contact your primary care doctor to see if an office visit is needed. Your doctor may provide you with exercises to help strengthen your back, and may prescribe medication to help alleviate your pain. He or she may also refer you to a specialist for further evaluation.
Conservative treatment
If early treatment measures are unsuccessful in addressing your back pain, your primary care doctor may refer you to a:
Each of these providers uses conservative, noninvasive measures to relieve your back pain.
For people with chronic back pain (pain lasting longer than 6 weeks), studies suggest that the most effective treatment is a therapy program that focuses on improving spine fitness and strength. Providers that specialize in this type of active rehabilitation use intensive exercise, specially designed machines and other methods to reduce pain and restore function. You can see a list of facilities that offer active rehabilitation programs in the "Provider cost and quality" section.
If your chronic pain doesn't respond to these treatments, your doctor may recommend injections. While invasive, injections are still considered a conservative treatment. There are various types of injections, with some having limits on how often and how many times they can be used. As with any procedure, there are potential risks associated with injections. Additionally, studies show mixed results on whether certain injections are effective. Discuss specific concerns with your doctor.
Aggressive treatment
If early treatment and conservative treatment measures are unsuccessful, your doctor may refer you to an orthopedist or a neurosurgeon to be evaluated as a possible surgery candidate. Generally, surgery is helpful for only a small percentage of people with low-back pain. Some conditions that can be treated with surgery include:
- a herniated disk that causes severe, disabling sciatica (pain, weakness, numbness or tingling in the leg)
- spinal stenosis (a narrowing of the spine that puts pressure on your spinal cord or nerves)
- spinal fracture due to an injury
- spinal infection
- spinal tumor
After most surgeries, a comprehensive rehabilitation program is necessary.
Want to know more?
You can learn more about back pain treatment options on HealthForums.com, or, if you are a Medica member, you may also have access to information on My Health Manager from MedicaSM.
Please note the information shown here is not intended as medical advice for your particular situation. Call your primary care provider for medical advice or if you have any questions.
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