Medical back pain treatments are sometimes referred to as traditional treatments for back pain. Medical treatments describe therapy options that are prescribed by a medical doctor, whether an MD or a DO. Traditional medical practices have not demonstrated good statistical results for the successful treatment of many types of back ache conditions. Regardless, physical medicine is still the first and last word when it comes to creating and perpetuating the rules for accepted back pain treatment protocol.
This focused discussion delves into the advantages and drawbacks of traditional medical care for back pain problems.
Medical Back Pain Treatment Modalities
Conservative medical treatments usually consist of bed rest, physical therapy and use of pain relieving drugs. Bed rest can be fine if used for short time periods and physical therapy can be a valuable addition to any back care program. Prescription drugs can be dangerous to your health and can be addictive. Exercise extreme care when using drugs for back pain relief.
Mid level medical treatments for back pain include: epidural injections, spinal decompression and some ultra minimally invasive surgical procedures. All of these methods can be extremely effective at relieving pain if used for the appropriate spinal causative condition. Epidural injections are still a symptomatic treatment and should be discontinued if a better treatment option can enact a real cure. Minor surgeries and decompression therapy have both shown excellent results for some types of painful disorders, but are not indicated for all types of pain.
Drastic medical treatment consists of spinal surgery. This option can cause more harm than good and can leave the patient with permanent physical disabilities. Cure rates for many operations are poor, so the patient should be sure that the proposed procedure has a good chance at resolving their pain. Surgery is to be avoided in all but the most urgent and extreme cases of back pain.
Medical Back Pain Treatment Statistics
Many back ache conditions will heal completely, all by themselves, with no medical treatment. Most patients do not know this fact and seek treatment immediately for any serious pain complaint. The condition heals and the treatment is given the credit for a job well done. The reality is that the treatment had little or no effect on the condition and the body simply healed itself, as it was meant to do.
Persistent pain conditions suffer from truly dismal treatment statistics using traditional medical therapies. Chronic pain patients often suffer for years, or even decades, without finding a cure. This is a shame considering many even endure surgical correction of the diagnosed pain source only to continue experiencing their symptoms along with physical limitations from the operation.
Some physical back pain conditions do require conservative or drastic medical treatment, and for these circumstances, I highly recommend using a trained medical doctor as your preferred care provider. Medicine is still the best and only real treatment for some spinal conditions and any serious pain should be reported to your doctor.
Medical Back Pain Therapies
Far too many doctors rush a patient onto the operating table. Back surgery has proven itself to be a less than reliable treatment for pain and even has a condition named especially for these poor results. Failed back surgery syndrome is an unfortunate reality for many postoperative patients. It is far better to learn the facts about your back pain before even considering surgery as an option for pain relief.
Remember that many of the symptomatic conditions affecting the back are actually either created or perpetuated by a psychological process, not a physical causation. Before undergoing any drastic treatment regimen, consider giving knowledge therapy a chance to treat any causative or contributory emotional or stress conditions. There are no risks, no side effects, and medical treatments will always be available if it should fail you. Best of all, this program was designed by a traditionally trained physician, Dr. John E. Sarno.
Back Pain > Treating Back Pain > Medical Back Pain Treatments
