How To Deal With Chronic Back Pain

When your back is constantly in pain, it’s hard to think about anything else. You may find it hard to go about your normal daily activities like working, exercising, or spending quality time with your loved ones. Quick fixes for immediate relief can help for a moment but won’t cut it for a long-lasting solution.

If you are looking for a way to come out to the other end of your debilitating chronic back pain, here are a few routes you can take on the road to healing. 

See A Doctor

If you have suffered a serious injury, you must get medical attention. For those who already have chronic pain, the professionals at the urgent care in Wake Forest recommend getting immediate care if you’re experiencing new or worsening symptoms. 

Other than that, seeing a spine specialist is best. Specialists will be well-equipped to manage serious injuries and pain as well as assess what steps need to be taken to move forward. This might include non-invasive treatment measures, but it may include surgery depending on your diagnosis. 

Once you’ve been diagnosed, you can seek a treatment that works best for you. Below, we’ve outlined some common treatments people choose to treat their chronic back pain.

Chiropractic Care

A trained chiropractor can also help you treat long-term back pain. Chiropractors perform an adjustment or spinal manipulation to help ease back pain.

Generally, it takes multiple visits over time for chiropractic treatment to be effective. When you go for your first visit, your chiropractor will likely evaluate your individual needs and will develop a treatment plan over time. Even if you’ve already been diagnosed by one doctor, your chiropractor may order tests or X-rays to get a fuller scope of your condition. 

Physical Therapy

Another course of action you may take to help manage your chronic back pain is to go to physical therapy. Your therapist will help you ease your pain and improve your strength and mobility, so you will be able to get back to doing your daily activities. 

As part of your treatment plan, your therapist may give you exercises to perform at home. It’s important to stick to your treatment plan to achieve long-term results. At the end of your treatment, your therapist will provide you with the tools and education you need to progress and maintain your healing. 

Massage Therapy

Although it may not be a substitute for medical treatment, massage therapy is a great addition to help curb your back pain. The benefits of massage therapy include:

• Improving blood circulation, which then helps your muscles recover from any physical activity.
• Relax your muscles to support an improved range of motion.
• Increasing endorphin levels which aids in managing chronic pain.

You may also find physical therapists or chiropractors who regularly incorporate massage therapy into their treatments. 

Acupuncture

This Eastern medicine practice has proven to be effective for many people dealing with chronic pain. During your session, the trained acupuncturist inserts thin needles on specific points, or meridians, on your body at varying depths. Many people who have tried acupuncture have found it to be successful in helping relieve muscular pain. 

Living A Pain-Free Life

Dealing with pain day in and day out can cause an immense amount of stress on your life and act as a gray cloud over everything you do. Although relying on over-the-counter pain medication may help you get through the day, a treatment plan will help in the long term. 

If you find that you have back pain that lasts longer than two weeks, it’s time to seek care and develop a treatment plan to get you on the road to a pain-free life.