Surgery May Not Be The Correct Way To Cure Back Aches

In years past if a person was suffering from lower back aches their physician would generally recommend that a surgical procedure be done to fix the problem. Following the surgical procedure, the patient would normally be assigned bed rest for a few weeks, and after that, if all went well, their back would be in no pain - unless it wasn’t. In the past, many doctors concluded, there was an excess of back surgery being done. A majority of patients were not any better following the surgical procedure, and a large number were in worse shape than they were prior to the surgery.
 
Now, medical trials have shown that most chronic back pain, even lower back pain, will resolve itself without surgery, with just rest and time. In reality, for many spinal injuries, all other options ought to be considered prior to arranging for surgery on the back. Less than one percent of all patients ever truly are in need of surgery for their back pain, even though four out of every five patients have back pain at some time in their life.

Who Should Have A Back Operation?

In general, physicians recommend that surgery only be considered if other options have been tried and were unsuccessful at treating the back pain (or if the pain returns), the pain is notably affecting a person's day-to-day life, or if left alone the back symptoms could worsen into a more chronic state.

Non-Surgical Alternatives

Physical rehabilitation can be a great method to aid the back and spine in its healing process. In addition to the unique workout regimines, in many cases the physical therapist will implement additional procedures, such as heat or cold therapy that reduces swelling and pain and muscle spasms, ultrasounds that utilize sound waves to improve and encourage circulation while at the same time alleviating swelling, tenderness and muscle spasms, massage, spinal traction, Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) which uses a painless electrical current on certain nerves to reduce pain and increase movement of the back, and water therapy.

Many patients find improvement by taking medication to relieve their back problems. There are several kinds, some over the counter and some that require a prescription. They include muscle relaxants, analgesics and NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs).