Understanding Spinal Health: The Key to Well-Being
It’s easy to see how spinal problems can cause back pain, but what does your spine have to do with your overall health? Plenty. Here’s how your spinal health can help or harm your well-being.
5 Surgery-Free Treatments for Chronic Back Pain
Have you ever awakened and realized your lower back was sore? If so, you’re not alone. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke estimates that nearly 80% of individuals experience back pain at some point. Even worse, back pain is the No. 1 cause of missed work days.
Back pain doesn’t affect just your ability to perform your work duties. It can even impact your ability to perform simple tasks like tying your shoes or bending over to pick up a dropped item. If you’re affected by back pain, you might wonder if spinal surgery is right for you. While surgery can be a solution, it’s not the only option. Surgery-free options can help reduce your pain while helping you avoid the lengthy downtimes of an invasive surgery.
At McNulty Spine in Henderson and Las Vegas, Nevada, Dr. Patrick S. McNulty and our skilled team are proud to offer a range of surgery-free treatments for chronic back pain to help you feel your best.
1. Spinal injections
Spinal injections are administered directly into the spine. Often, these injections are a mixture of a numbing medication (for pain relief) and a steroid (to combat inflammation). During an X-ray-targeted spinal epidural injection, the injection is inserted into the epidural space in your spine under the guidance of an X-ray.
2. Laser therapy
Laser therapy has many uses, from treating skin conditions to eliminating unwanted body hair. Lasers can also be used to treat back pain. A 2015 review published in Arthritis Research and Therapy revealed that individuals who opted for low-level laser therapy (LLLT) experienced significantly less pain than those who had placebo treatments.
3. Nerve blocks
A nerve block is another type of injection, this one containing an anesthetic. The goal of a nerve block is to stop the nerve from sending pain signals to your brain.
4. Physical therapy
Physical therapy is an umbrella term for many exercises and stretches (and other modalities) to help reduce your back pain, strengthen your back, and prevent future pain. Physical therapy can include:
- Passive exercises
- Strengthening exercises
- Heat therapy
- Cold therapy
- Electrical stimulation
Depending on the cause of your back pain, you may experience a range of these elements. Most individuals start with passive exercises and build up to the more active, strengthening exercises.
5. Chiropractic adjustments
Chiropractic care has been used for thousands of years to help reduce back pain. The American College of Physicians recommends manual adjustments in conjunction with heat therapy and massage for treating acute and subacute lower back pain.
What if these treatments aren’t enough?
Sometimes non-surgical treatments aren’t enough to give you the relief you need. At McNulty Spine, Dr. McNulty creates a treatment plan that’s right for you, and if needed, Dr. McNulty can perform minimally invasive surgical procedures.
Don’t let back pain keep you from your daily routines. Surgery-free treatments combat back pain while minimizing downtime. We are here to guide you with your next steps. To learn more about your options, request an appointment by calling either our Las Vegas or Henderson location. Or request an appointment using our online booking system.
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