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Four Pain Management Alternatives for Back Pain

To highlight Drug-Free Pain Management Month, we found a few suggestions for natural back pain management if you’re looking for methods beyond prescriptions or over-the-counter treatments.

General Health

September 16, 2019 | HF Healthy Living Team

Did you know that nearly 80 percent of adults experience lower back pain in their lifetime? It’s also the most common cause of job-related disability. That’s why it’s important to know some natural alternatives to back pain relief you can use in a pinch.

For back pain sufferers who are looking for medication-free alternatives, we’ve got some natural pain relief suggestions. We understand that living with back pain can cause problems that get in the way of your daily activities, create sleep issues, make it hard to work, cause anxiety, and more. If pain has caused you to sacrifice an area of your life, it may be time to speak to your doctor and learn about a treatment plan.

Some treatments involve medications, while others don’t always have to. With any type of care, it’s important to stay on track of your treatment options for faster relief. What helps one person may not help another, so it can be helpful to try different treatments to see what works best for you.

Click the photos below to learn more about alternative treatments to pain management.

Physical Therapy (PT)

PT is often used to treat back, knee, and shoulder pain, which are extremely common. PT includes exercises and stretches to relax tight muscles, increase range of motion, and ease pain. And one study found that PT, when used as a first treatment approach for lower back pain, was associated with reduced opioid prescriptions during follow-ups, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Chiropractic Care

Chiropractors adjust (manipulate) the spine and other parts of the body to ease pain, correct alignment issues, and support the body’s ability to heal itself. The most common type of pain treated is lower back, neck pain, and headaches. They may include physical therapy, dietary tests, and more to assist a patient. Chiropractic therapy can significantly help with prevention and treatment of sport injuries as well.

Acupuncture

This technique works by stimulating points on the body and is performed by trained practitioners of Chinese medicine. Acupuncturists insert thin needles slightly through the skin, which can help improve neck, knee, and back pain, as well as headaches, and more. And a review of 22 acupuncture studies revealed that it provided short-term relief for chronic back pain.

Yoga and Exercise

Yoga may help to reduce lower back and neck pain. Other forms of exercise can help as well, although heavy lifting is likely to make lower back pain worse if there’s an issue. Yoga poses and stretches that emphasize strengthening the core and low back can be helpful at easing pain. Check out some free yoga classes in New York City here.

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This health information or program is for educational purposes only and not intended to treat, diagnose, or act as a substitute for medical advice from your provider. Consult your healthcare provider and always follow your healthcare provider’s instructions.

Sources
“Treating Chronic Pain,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed August 16, 2019.
https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/training/nonopioid/508c/index.html

“Evidence-Based Practice and Chiropractic Care,” National Institutes of Health. Accessed August 16, 2019.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3716373/

“Chiropractic: Is it Efficient in Treatment of Diseases?” National Institutes of Health. Accessed August 16, 2019.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4591574/

“Study: Referral to Physical Therapy,” American Physical Therapy Association. Accessed August 16, 2019.
https://www.apta.org/PTinMotion/News/2018/01/03/LBPReferralStudy/

“Acupuncture for Back Pain,” WebMD. Accessed August 16, 2019.
https://www.webmd.com/back-pain/guide/back-pain-and-acupuncture#1

“Acupuncture: In Depth,” National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Accessed August 16, 2019.
https://nccih.nih.gov/health/acupuncture/introduction

“Yoga for Pain,” National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Accessed August 16, 2019.
https://nccih.nih.gov/health/providers/digest/yoga-pain

“Know Your Options,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed August 19, 2019.
https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/patients/options.html

“Low Back Pain Cheat Sheet,” National Institutes of Health. Accessed August 19, 2019.
https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Fact-Sheets/Low-Back-Pain-Fact-Sheet