Back pain is one of the most common and debilitating ailments that people experience. It is often hard to know how to treat it, especially when the cause of the pain may be unclear.

Fortunately, there are many effective treatment options for back pain. But how do you know what’s best for you?

Simple painkillers

Back pain is a common problem, affecting up to 80 percent of people at some point. Fortunately, various treatments are available to help ease your pain.

Some medications that your healthcare provider may prescribe include muscle relaxants and cortisone injections. These medications reduce inflammation, numb your back, and stimulate the body’s natural healing process.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which include aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen, are a class of pain relievers that can help ease your back pain in most cases when used as directed. However, NSAIDs can cause stomach upset and other side effects, especially if you take them regularly over a long period.

Acetaminophen (paracetamol) is another popular over-the-counter medicine that can ease back pain. It can be taken over the counter or with a prescription, but you should not take more than recommended to avoid serious liver problems. Also, it can interact with other medications you might be taking, including blood-thinning drugs like clopidogrel, warfarin, and rivaroxaban.

Exercise

Exercise is a well-known back pain treatment Orange Park FL that can help relieve pain and prevent it from returning. This is because it improves general strength, flexibility and endurance.

It also increases the release of chemicals called endorphins, which are known to have a mild pain-relieving effect.

Light exercises such as walking and yoga may be an excellent place to start if you are in the early stages of back pain. It would help if you built up to more vigorous activities as and when your condition improves.

However, it’s essential to choose your exercises carefully. Ideally, a physiotherapist should oversee your activities to ensure they suit you and your back.

Pain management programmes

A back pain treatment program can involve various physical and mental therapies. It can help to reduce symptoms and improve function, especially for people with long-term back problems.

For example, exercise can help alleviate symptoms in many cases and may prevent them from returning later. This therapy usually involves strengthening the muscles around the spine and legs, improving flexibility and reducing nerve pain.

Occupational therapy can also help you with your day-to-day activities and suggest ways to minimize strain on your back. This treatment may also involve helping you adapt your home environment to suit your needs and make your life easier.

Another standard back pain treatment involves heat or ice application. The heat helps with mobilizing and stretching the soft tissues of your body, while ice can relieve swelling and inflammation. Using both of these techniques regularly will dramatically reduce your back pain.

Surgery

Back pain is a common and sometimes debilitating condition. Various factors, including an injury or medical condition, can cause it.

A good treatment plan for back pain involves physical therapy, medications and lifestyle changes. The right combination of these therapies will reduce pain and increase mobility and strength.

Surgery can help relieve pain if other methods of treatment have failed. However, it would help if you talked with your doctor about back surgery before considering it.

The surgeon will perform a physical examination to assess your back and determine the cause of the pain. They may also order imaging tests to rule out a more severe cause.

If conservative treatments fail, your surgeon will recommend surgery. The procedure is usually performed outpatient, although you may need to stay in the hospital for a few days.