If you’re like most Americans, you’ve dealt with some form of neck or back pain at one time or another and you know that even the slightest discomfort can ruin your day. While the specific cause of your neck or back pain most likely remains a mystery, you probably chalk up your discomfort to sleeping awkwardly the night before or pushing a little too hard in that flag football game you participated in over the weekend.

What you may not know is that your neck or back could arise from the effects of the normal, degenerative changes that take place in the spine over time. As you grow older, the components that make up your spine – vertebrae, intervertebral discs, facet joints, ligaments, tendons, etc. – will begin to suffer from wear and tear. Discs lose water content and become brittle, facet joint cartilage wears away, and ligaments calcify. While some of these instances can cause some pain on their own, it’s often the compression (pinching) of the spinal cord or its nerve roots that cause the most discomfort. Symptoms of pain, numbness, weakness, and tingling in the extremities typically result from nerve compression.

Treatment of these symptoms, though not an exact science, often begins with doctor-recommended, conservative (nonsurgical) treatments.

Common Nonsurgical Therapies for Neck or Back Pain

Most members of the mainstream medical community recommend conservative treatments for neck and back pain because they are considered to be generally effective at symptom mitigation. Some treatments, however, may not be as effective for you as they are for another patient, so expect to go through a period of trial and error while you find the combination of treatments that best help relieve your discomfort.

The following are some of the most common nonsurgical therapies used to treat spine conditions:

Physical therapy – Physical therapy treatments involve strengthening and stretching exercises to improve core strength, flexibility, and overall body mechanics. This treatment may also involve thermotherapy, cryotherapy, TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation), and other methods.

Heat therapy – Also known as thermotherapy, this treatment involves applying heat in the form of heating pads or other means to the affected area of the spine. Heat therapy helps ease muscle tension and encourage nutrient- and oxygen-rich blood flow to the area.

Cold therapy – Also known as cryotherapy, this treatment involves applying cold in the form of ice or cold compresses to the affected region of the spine. Cold therapy helps numb pain and reduce inflammation, and is sometimes used alternately with thermotherapy.

Anti-inflammatory drugs – Over-the-counter or prescription anti-inflammatory drugs such as naproxen and ibuprofen aid in reducing inflammation and relieving mild to moderate pain.

Muscle relaxants – Muscle tightness and spasticity can significantly contribute to the development of neck or back pain, so muscle relaxants are often prescribed to help relieve these symptoms.

Anti-anxiety medications – These medications are commonly prescribed to encourage muscle relaxation and help block nerve pain.

Additional Options

Along with conservative therapies, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is another category of treatments that you may choose to explore. While these methods are not recognized as effective means of symptom relief by most members of the mainstream medical community, many other patients report finding significant relief from certain CAM treatments, whether they are used in conjunction with or in lieu of conservative methods. Some of the most commonly used CAM treatments include massage, yoga, acupuncture, herbal therapy, spinal manipulation, and others.

Talk to Your Physician

It’s best to consult with your physician before you start any treatment regimen to combat neck or back pain. This is particularly important because certain treatments may interact dangerously with each other and have the potential to worsen your symptoms or cause harm. Furthermore, if you wish to attempt any CAM treatments, it’s advisable to also consult with an experienced CAM professional in addition to your physician.

Taylor Thomas 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 types of spinal treatments.

Taylor Thomas 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 types of spinal treatments. http://www.lsiphilly.com/

Author Bio: Taylor Thomas 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 types of spinal treatments.

Category: Medicines and Remedies
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