MANAGING CHRONIC BACK PAIN WITHOUT OPIOIDS

Chronic back pain can be debilitating for many individuals. Managing pain in daily life is a constant struggle, but there are several ways to seek treatment for chronic back pain and get back to living a full life.

What is chronic pain? Pain is diagnosed as chronic when the sensation lasts for more than three months. During that three-month period and after, the pain can come and go sometimes being very acute and other times being almost nonexistent.

Opioid medications belong to a broad group of painrelieving drugs that interact with cells in the brain, releasing signals that muffle the perception of pain. While opioids are by far one of the most effective methods for treating chronic pain, they are extremely addictive and lead to long term health problems if not taken as the doctor has ordered or at high doses. Thankfully, there are many non-opioid pain treatment options.

Assessment

Chronic back pain can be assessed and diagnosed by your doctor. Bone scans, MRIs, blood tests, and X-rays are all methods to help your doctor identify your chronic back pain. Once the pain is diagnosed as chronic pain, you and your doctor can start considering ways to begin treatment.

Treatment

There are many ways you can go about treating chronic back pain without opioids. Some include:

• PHYSICAL THERAPY. One of the main benefits of short- and long-term physical therapy is pain reduction. Physical therapy exercises increase blood flow to inflamed and injured body parts, increase mobility, and help to encourage the growth of muscle tissue. Arthritic joints, lower back problems, and other injuries are all treatable through physical therapy. The healing benefits of these exercises can dramatically reduce pain levels caused by injuries.

• MASSAGE THERAPY. This is often recommended for people who suffer from chronic back pain.

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NON-OPIOID

PAIN MEDICATION / INJECTION

THERAPIES. Finley Hospital’s Pain Management Clinic specializes in this and has had great results with helping patients with chronic pain. This requires a provider’s referral.

Stanley Mathew, MD, Medical Director, Acute Rehab Unit at Finley Hospital

• DIETARY CHANGES. Decreasing the number of foods in your diet that cause inflammation, such as red meat and processed foods. Foods with antioxidants, including nuts, olive oil, dark chocolate, beans, fruits, and vegetables, help protect against chronic inflammation.

• ALTERNATIVE TREATMENTS. Talk to your doctor about the benefits of meeting with a chiropractor or other forms of alternative treatment for your chronic back pain.

• ACUPUNCTURE. Numerous clinical studies have proven that acupuncture disrupts pain signals traveling along neural pathways. Due to this ability, acupuncture is an extremely effective means to treat chronic pain. Acupuncture is commonly used to treat chronic lower back pain, spinal injuries, joint injuries, migraine headaches, and other common health issues.

• SURGERY. One of the most effective ways to cure a health issue causing chronic pain is surgery. If a surgical option is available, then it is oftentimes an effective route to permanently resolving an injury that is causing moderate to severe pain. Not all chronic pain issues can be addressed with surgery, but, joint problems, spinal injuries, and others are all great candidates for surgical treatments.

Consider tracking your pain symptoms daily. Keep a journal to track what kind of activities you did that may have caused your chronic back pain to flare up and track activities you did to alleviate your pain. Keeping a journal can help both you and your doctor understand what methods work for you and how often you should be doing them to treat your chronic back pain.

To schedule a pain management consultation with Dr. Mathew, call (563) 582-1881.