Living with neck or back pain is not fun, so the thought of surgery as a treatment method has likely crossed your mind. Take comfort in knowing you’re not alone. Millions of Americans experience some form of back pain in their lives, whether low-level, long-term aches or severe neck or back pain that flares up in short-term, intermittent episodes. This disparity in the severity and frequency of symptoms is largely due to the sheer number of conditions that can cause neck and back pain, such as a muscle strain or a herniated disc that is compressing the spinal cord or a nerve root.

Regardless of the cause and type and level of pain you’re experiencing, it’s important to keep in mind that any form of spine surgery probably won’t be your first treatment option, nor may it be the best option to treat your symptoms. It’s likely your physician will suggest that you first attempt a number of nonsurgical treatments to seek pain relief.

Try Conservative Treatments First

Before spine surgery becomes a topic of conversation, your physician will probably expect you to complete several weeks or months of conservative (nonsurgical) treatments. Conservative therapies are widely regarded to be highly effective methods of symptom mitigation by most members of the mainstream medical community. You’ll most likely find relief from your pain after attempting one or more of these types of treatments.

The exact treatment plan that your physician recommends will depend on the specific spine condition you have; the severity, frequency, and location of symptoms; and your level of overall health, among other factors. In general, however, your physician may recommend that you attempt one or more of the following treatments:

– Corticosteroid injections

– Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)

– Hot/cold therapy

– Physical therapy

– Low-impact exercise

– Narcotic pain medication

Consider Alternative & Complementary Treatments

Another category of treatments you may want to consider to combat neck and back pain include complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies. The efficacy of CAM treatments is continually up for debate within the mainstream medical community, largely because there is little scientific evidence available that confirms their true ability to mitigate neck and back pain. Still, many individuals with neck and back pain have reported finding significant relief with CAM treatments methods, whether used in combination with or in lieu of conservative therapies.

Some of the most common alternative methods include:

– Acupuncture

– Therapeutic massage

– Manual chiropractic adjustments

– Meditation

– Relaxation therapy

– Aromatherapy

– Biofeedback

– Acupressure

– Reiki

– Hypnosis

– And more

It’s best to consult your physician and/or a qualified CAM practitioner before you attempt any CAM treatments, particularly if you’re taking certain medications or herbal supplements.

When Nonsurgical Treatments Fail to Provide Relief

If several weeks or months of conservative and/or CAM treatments are unable to mitigate your neck or back pain, surgery may become a treatment option for you. You should explore a number of spine procedures that may be available to you, including open spine surgery and state-of-the-art endoscopic procedures. The procedure or combination of procedures that your physician or a spine specialist suggests will ultimately depend on your condition, the severity of your symptoms, your overall health, and other factors.

Do Your Research

Before you commit to any spine surgery, it’s important to research all of your available surgical options. Take time to understand the procedure(s) that are suggested to you, as well as all of the advantages and disadvantages associated with each. For example, open spine surgery is highly invasive, requires a large incision in the neck or back, muscle dissection, and can lead to a difficult and lengthy recovery period.

Alternatively, a minimally invasive procedure requires only a small incision and no tissue dissection, which allows patients to typically enjoy a quicker and less painful recovery when compared to open spine surgery.

Peg Smith is an experienced writer who has written for a number of notable publications. As a lifestyle expert, Mr. Thomas is able to offer advice and insight on a multitude of topics, including those pertaining to spine surgery.

Peg Smith is an experienced writer who is able to offer advice and insight on a multitude of topics, including those pertaining to spine surgery. http://laserspine.net/

Author Bio: Peg Smith is an experienced writer who has written for a number of notable publications. As a lifestyle expert, Mr. Thomas is able to offer advice and insight on a multitude of topics, including those pertaining to spine surgery.

Category: Medicines and Remedies
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