Lower Back Pain Relief – A Needle in a Haystack

Lower back pain can arise in several ways. Perhaps the most common way is due to strain or sudden injury of the lower lumbar region. Strain can arise from sudden heavy lifting, minor accidents, prolonged vibration, and many other causes. Lower back pain can also arise due to aging as the muscles and tissues that help protect the spine begin to degenerate. The method of lower back pain relief that your doctor may prescribe depends heavily on the cause of the pain. This opens up the door for many types of wrong diagnosis. Before moving to any type of surgery it can be a good idea to get a second opinion. also keep in mind that surgery should be used as  a last resort as typically there is an underlying cause to the pain that can be resolved in another way. The body has an amazing ability to heal itself but needs to be brought to correct conditions before it is able to do so. Being acidic, overweight, not having a healthy lifestyle such as a poor diet and not enough exercise can all lead to problems with your back.

Lower Back Pain Relief Difficulties

For older people, lower back pain may arise due to osteoarthritis. This condition causes the joints in the back to begin to break down. As they break down the sufferer will begin to walk or stand in different ways to try and relieve the pain from the arthritis. Because they are using their back and hip muscles and joints in new ways, they can also become strained and increase the lower back pain. Because multiple conditions can continue to build on top of each other, finding lower back pain relief can be very difficult for many as there may be more than one source.

Major injuries to the lower back can also cause lasting lower back pain. If an accident occurs where the person were to land heavily on their head, buttocks, or back then the bones and disks in the lower spine can become compressed. This compression irritates the nerves that run along the spine and the hips and can cause a great deal of discomfort. These can often be very difficult to heal naturally even without our amazing bodies. If something has been traumatized enough then our bodies will often bring us back to a workable condition but will not be able to completely cure us altogether which can mean that only surgery will lead to lower back pain relief. Back surgery that was not performed or completed properly also make finding lower back pain relief difficult.

Another less common source of lower back pain is infection or diseases that affect the bones, muscles, and joints in the lumbar region. Bacterial infections that arise due to surgery or IV use can cause back pain as can tumors or other growths in these areas. These can be very dangerous and spread to the entire spinal cord or to other parts of the body quickly causing major issues. These can also be difficult to identify unless the doctor is looking specifically for it which can lead to misdiagnosis which may provide lower back pain relief for a duration of time only for it to return. The truth is there are a myriad of things that can cause the pain and everything should be checked which can be time consuming and costly which shows us why it’s so important to maintain our health so we can avoid these.

Lower Back Pain Relief Through Doctors

When the patient goes to the doctor seeking lower back pain relief, he or she should be prepared to accurately describe the pain so that they can avoid misdiagnosis. The doctor will want to know if the pain is throbbing, burning or piercing and will generally ask the patient to describe the intensity of the pain on a scale of one to ten, with ten being the worst pain the patient has ever experience. The doctor will also want to know if the pain is chronic (persisting) or acute (comes and goes). It’s important to include every detail even if you think it is unimportant because it may be the least likely thing that is at the root of your issues.

Diagnosis for Lower Back Pain Relief

With proper diagnosis, most forms of lower back pain are treatable. The patient should not wait before consulting with their doctor as back not only has a tendency to become worse over time, it can also be a sign of something far more serious. If lower back pain is accompanied by severe symptoms such as high fever, vomiting, or dizziness then the sufferer should seek help at the nearest emergency room as soon as possible. This may be costly but if it is intense enough, attaining lower back pain relief is priceless.

Exercising for Lower Back Pain Relief

While exercising is a pretty straightforward activity, patients looking for lower back pain relief should perform only the exercises that were recommended by their physician. There are many exercises which are great for healthy people but can be very damaging and pain inducing for people with back problems. Sit ups, for instance, are great for building up one’s “core” but are not recommended for people with lower back pain.

Dieting for Lower Back Pain Relief

For patients who are suffering from lower back pain due to weight or obesity, the doctor may prescribe an all around exercise program designed to increase overall activity and health of the patient. If the patient follows the plan, weight will begin to decline and the strain on the lower back may decrease. When this happens there may be some lower back pain relief.

For those suffering from lower back pain due to muscle strain, pinched nerves, or aching joints then a series of targeted exercises may be recommended. These exercises provide lower back pain relief by specifically working the muscles that may have been pulled or strained. By developing and lengthening these muscles through exercise the patient may begin to feel less low back pain.

Lower Back Pain Relief Exercises

Exercises for relieving lower back pain due to strain may be as simple as laying on hard but comfortable floor for ten minutes at a time with pillows supporting the knees and neck. Other common exercises for lower back pain include:

1. Press Ups – The patient lies on the floor and props themselves up on their elbows. They then begin to firmly press down on the floor with their hands and upper arms. They do not allow themselves to actually rise of the floor – they merely apply pressure up until just before they would begin to lift up.
2. Backwards Bend – The patient stands up straight with their hands on their hips. Then the patient bends backwards at the hip while keeping their knees straight. They will hold this position for 8-10 seconds and then return to the standing position. This may slightly strain the area but can ultimately lead to lower back pain relief.
3. Double Knee to Chest – The patient lies on their back with their neck supported by a pillow. They then pull one knee up to their chest, and then the other. They then hold that position for 10-15 seconds before allowing both legs to gently return to their starting position.
4. Front Plank – The patient gets down on all fours so that their weigh is resting on their forearms, elbows, knees, and lower legs. Then they lift up with their knees so that all of the weight of the lower body is now on the elbows and tips of their toes. This position is then held for several seconds and then the knees are allowed to gently return to their starting position.

Gentle exercise and light stretching can be very effective in providing lower back pain relief. Patients are encouraged to seek the advice of a doctor before beginning any exercise routine. If back pain persists or gets worse, stop exercising and consult with your doctor immediately.

Lower Back Pain Relief Through Medication

When seeking lower back pain relief, many patients will look for medications that can make the pain go away. While doctors may prescribe over the counter medications such as a non-steroidal anti inflammatory (NSAID) like Ibuprofen, some patients do not believe in the effectiveness of OTC drugs. These patients will then insist that the doctor prescribe something stronger or attempt to find something on their own.

Medications that are based on opium are often prescribed to fight back pain, even if it is not necessary. While these opium based drugs are effective at relieving pain, they have side effects that make it difficult to function in day to day life and are notoriously addictive when misused. Narcotic addiction is the primary reason why these pain killers are difficult to get prescribed for lower back pain relief.

In addition to the dangers of addiction, it has been shown that Opioid based drugs are not all that effective in treating chronic lower back pain. For long term lower back pain relief due to a chronic condition, it has been shown that non-addictive pain killers are just as effective as the stronger Opioid drugs. However doctors may consider continuing with narcotic pain relief therapy if the patient is allergic to other drugs such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen or if the side effects of the non-narcotic are too severe for the patient.

Addicted to Lower Back Pain Relief

While patients may not become addicted to narcotic pain killers when seeking lower back pain relief as part of their prescribed treatment, they may later become addicted through abuse of the drug. Many times once a condition has run its course a patient may find that they have several doses or refills of a powerful pain medication still available to them. Legally, these doses are to be destroyed but most patients keep them on hand for later self medication.

Once a patient begins to rely on the drugs for treating conditions that would easily be relieved by OTC drugs, or when they begin to take the drugs merely to improve their mood, the danger of addiction becomes greater. When used as directed by a doctor, narcotic pain relievers can be effective in lower back pain relief. When used improperly they are a dangerous substance that can lead to a life destroying addiction.

Not only do narcotics pose a risk to the patient who was originally prescribed them, they can also be dangerous for those around them. It is not uncommon for a patient to give a few of their pain pills to friends or family members who may be complaining of an ache or a pain. However, even a small exposure to an addictive substance can be enough to trigger an addiction, not to mention the dangers that are inherent in the drugs themselves due to dizziness, drowsiness, and other side effects.

Pain management is a big part of providing lower back pain relief. However if the doctor does not feel that it is necessary to use something as strong as a narcotic, the patient should trust that advice and not attempt to shop around for better pills. While narcotics can sometimes be more effective than OTC drugs, in many instances they only appear to be helping more because of the “high” that some people may feel when taking them. Addiction and drug abuse are very real problems and narcotic pain killers are a gateway into those problems when used incorrectly or when used correctly can lead lower back pain relief.