Back it Up: Before Back Surgery, Consider These Alternatives

BACK IT UP Before You Go Under the Knife, Consider These Alternatives Up to 80% of people will experience low back pain at some point in their lives. 26 million Americans between 20 and 64 years old suffer from ongoing back pain. Americans spend nearly $86 billion per year on aching backs. O - $10 billion A review study found the prevalence of disk degeneration in people without symptoms increased from to Degeneration of spinal discs occur in both people with back pain and those without. 37% 96% of 20 year olds of 80 year olds х By 2 years after their first surgery, roughly 8% of patients undergo an additional operation. Back surgeries can fail, sometimes because an operation was not the right treatment. By 10 years, that rate increases to 20%. = 10% SURGERY IS NOT YOUR ONLY OPTION Alternatives to surgery and how they work Herbal remedies Before trying any herbal remedies, talk to your doctor Some herbal remedies for back pain are: Capsaicin Cream • Temporarily reduces pain • Reapply 4-5 times a day • Active component in chili peppers • May take several weeks for significant relief Devil's Claw • Used for conditions that cause inflammation and pain, like osteoarthritis Traditionally used to treat: Devil's Claw Gastrointestinal problems Fever Arthritis • Can be taken in a capsule White Willow Bark • Used for conditions that cause pain or inflammation, like osteoarthritis hite • Provides relief for acute back pain Comfrey root • Research shows that ointment containing comfrey extract may significantly lower back pain • Don't use longer than 10 days • Can lead to liver damage if used chronically Traditionally used: Reduce inflammation A Heal pulled muscles or ligament Heal sprains Vitamin D Maintains bone and back health The National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends a daily dosage of: For those under 50 For those over 50 400 to 800 IUS 800 to 1,000 IUs of vitamin D of vitamin D Present in foods like: Cod liver oil - 25 million people Some fish 1 billion people worldwide are deficient in vitamin D Fortified milk 10-15 minutes of sun exposure without sunscreen is enough to generate an adequate amount of vitamin D. Yoga Help maintain back health and stave off soreness Works on: Body symmetry Coordination Musele strengthening Breathing Flexibility Avoid practicing yoga that focuses on flexibility and stretching the spine. Counterproductive People with lower-back pain who took one yoga class a week had greater improvements in function than those receiving medicine or physical therapy. for those with degenerative spine changes or stress fractures Massage Benefits people who want to maintain back health and who may suffer occasional soreness muscle: Tension Inflammation Pain Manipulates lactic acid and lymphatic draining in the body Massage moves lactic acid away from the muscles faster. When people are sore, there's a buildup of lactic acid in the muscles. Aquatic therapy Water therapy exercise is especially helpful in cases where a land-based exercise program is not possible due to the intensity of pain, decreased bone density, disability or other factors. Water therapy is a versatile exercise and is particularly good for people with conditions such as: • Osteoarthritis • Advanced osteoporosis (with susceptibility to and/or pain from fracture) • Muscle strain or tears Acupuncture Great for those with pain in the back or neck that doesn't radiate down the arms and legs Practitioners believe that you have an energy force called Qi. • When Qi is blocked, physical illnesses can develop. • Freeing the Qi channels, or meridians, restores flow. Uses very fine needles inserted into precise points on body's meridians Exact location is determined by symptoms Needles do not contain medication Research shows the presence of needles cause the body to release certain neurochemicals that help in the healing process. Left in for 20-40 minutes Chiropractic adjustment Good for people with pain that radiates into the buttock or leg Cracking noise comes from bubbles being released nitro in the joints. Annals of Internal Medicine study found chiropractor visits are often better than medication for treating musculoskeletal pain. Releasing them helps rebalance the spine. Osteopathic manipulation Found to reduce chronic low-back I pain in a study of 455 people Involves: Moving joints back into place Participants received eight weeks of osteopathic manipulation. 63% reported moderate improvement in their pain Massaging soft tissue 50% reported substantial improvement in their pain Relaxing stressed muscles MINIMALLY INVASIVE PROCEDURES Nerve blocks There are several types of nerve blocks that serve different purposes. Therapeutic: Diagnostic: determine sources of pain anti-inflammatory injection targeted toward a certain nerve or group of nerves to treat chronic pain Prognostic: Preemptive: predict the outcomes of prevent subsequent pain certain treatments Epidurals Good for people who have pain that spreads from the lower spine to the hips or down the legs This type of nerve block involves injecting anti-inflammatory medicine directly into the space outside the sac of fluid around the spinal cord. It provides long-term pain relief in at least half the people who receive it. Spinal cord stimulation Spinal cord stimulation uses low voltage stimulation of the spinal nerves to block pain. Soft, thin wires with electrical leads on their tips are administered in the back near the spinal column (via a needle). A small, programmable generator that emits electrical currents to the spinal column is then inserted under the skin (in the upper buttock or abdomen). Once a person's physician programs the system, patients can control the stimulation on their own with a hand-held remote. Most people who qualify for neurostimulation therapy report a 50 to 70% reduction in overall pain. As well as an improved ability to participate in normal family and work activities Surgery for neck and back pain isn't the only option. Thes may put that spring in your step without having to go under the knife. alternatives well.blogs.nytimes.com orthopaedicsurgery.uci.edu articles.mercola.com mayfieldclinic.com Designed by: nebi.nlm.nih.gov health.com spineuniverse.com medicinenet.com GHERGICH&Co. goodhousekeeping.com spine-health.com PMIR Pain Management and Injury Reliet www.paininjuryrelief.com ......P