Back Pain and Treatment
By Anne Asher, About.com Guide to Back & Neck Pain
Treatments for the different types of back pain and neck pain range from doing nothing to taking medication and undergoing procedures, such as surgery. Throw in alternative treatment for back pain, and you can see there is a dizzying array from which you and your doctor can choose. But which back pain treatment is right for you? This section will help you decide.
- Types of Back and Neck Treatments
- Conservative Care for Back Pain
- Medications and Drugs
- Invasive Procedures & Surgery
- Pain and Pain Management
- Preventing Neck and Back Pain
- First Aid for Back and Neck Injury
- Alt Medicine and Bodywork
Types of Back and Neck Treatments
Treatment for back and neck pain ranges from "conservative care," (easy things like ice packs and exercises) to very invasive measures -- such as back surgery. Most of the time, your doctor will start your treatment as conservatively as possible, and, based on your back or neck's response, will determine your need for more invasive measures. This section presents the spectrum of treatment disciplines.
- Back Treatments Overview
- Home Treatments for Back Pain
- Which Doctors Treat Back Pain?
- Pain Management
- Over-the-Counter Pain Meds
- Holistic Treatments for Back Pain
- Is Chiropractic for You?
- Back Surgery
- Ankylosing Spondylitis - Medication News
Conservative Care for Back Pain
Conservative care consists of physical therapy, medications, home exercise programs and manual therapy (thin massage). With conservative, non-invasive treatments, nothing is inserted into your spine, and you are not opened up on the operating table. In short, the risk is low, but in some cases, the effectiveness rate may be lower, too.
- At Home Back and Neck Treatments
- Non-Invasive Back Care
- Conservative Treatments
- Ways to Align Your Spine
Medications and Drugs
This section contains drug profiles along with definitions of terms you should know if you take mediciation for back or neck pain. Be an educated consumer!
- Medications Overview
- What are NSAIDs?
- Over-the-Counter Pain Medications
- Drug Terms
- Tylenol for Neck or Back Pain
Invasive Procedures & Surgery
If conservative treatment has been exhausted with little or no relief, your doctor may suggest more invasive techniques. Invasive treatments for back or neck pain will "open you up" to try to remedy the situation from the inside of your body. The most glaring example, of course, is surgery, but there are also invasive pain management procedures that attempt to decrease pain and inflammation. You can learn about invasive treatments in this section.
- Back Surgery
- Failed Back Surgery Syndrome - FBSS
- Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
- Injections
- Botox for Chronic Pain
- Implanted Neurostimulation
- Prolotherapy
- Steroids for Sciatica Pain?
- Cervical Spinal Fusion
- Cervical Discectomy
- Use of Implants in Neck Surgery
- Total Disk Replacement
- Vertebroplasty
- Kyphoplasty
- Implantable Drug Pumps
- Risks of Drug Infusion Pumps
Pain and Pain Management
Pain management is a branch of medicine that treats your pain as the disease. This type of treatment can be invasive or non-invasive, or a combination. By nature, it is a multidisciplinary approach to the reduction and managment of out-of-control pain. This section will help yo understand how pain occurs and how doctors go about managing it. It also contains articles on treatments you might find in a pain clinic.
- What is Pain Management?
- Injections for Back or Neck Pain
- Spinal Cord Stimulation
- Healing Pain - By Ann Berger, M.D. - Book Review
- Understanding Pain - By American Academy of Neurology - Book Review
Preventing Neck and Back Pain
What could be bettern than never getting back or neck pain in the first place? Here are some tips.
- Back Pain Myths
- Preventative Maintenance
- 10 Tips for Preventing Back Injury
- How to Lift Heavy Objects
- How NOT to Lift Heavy Objects
- Preventing Work Related Injuries
- Year-Round Tips for Preventing Summer Sports Injuries to Your Back
- Healthy Monday Campaign
- Ways to Align Your Spine
- Prevent Spinal Stenosis
- Is Your Back Ready for Yoga?
- Yoga for Your Back E-course
- Yoga for Spinal Flexibility E-course
- The Inner Secrets of Core Stabilization
- Pilates and Your Back
First Aid for Back and Neck Injury
No one wants to think the unthinkable, but most people are glad when someone on the scene of an injury has first aid certification and skill. This is especially true when it comes to injuries involving the neck. Getting the appropriate treatment for a neck or back injury as soon as it happens is extremely important to the outcome of that injury. This section contains information and procedures for emergency care for back and neck injuries.
Alt Medicine and Bodywork
According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, back pain is the number one reason why people seek alternative or complementary medicine. Neck pain is number 3. While there are many types of alternative treatments available, the research on them has yet to catch up with those of standard medicine. So it is a buyer beware marketplace. This section will help you stay informed on the developments in this burgeoning field.
