You hear your loved one scolding you constantly about maintaining a proper posture, but you keep wondering, ‘ Does it even matter how I sit or stand?’ Certainly, it does because you have your back to protect. When back pain sets in, you could suffer a great loss of range of motion and limited ability to perform routine activities. If back pain is already part of your life, you can benefit from Garden State pain control. Your treatment may involve medications, lifestyle changes, and therapy. Your treatment options may also include non-surgical treatments, as discussed below.
Radiofrequency Ablation
Treatment with lumbar radiofrequency ablation uses waves that create a current to heat and destroy a small area of nerve tissue in your back. The destroyed nerve will then no longer send pain signals to your brain so that you can enjoy long-lasting relief from chronic back pain. Radiofrequency ablation may also improve functioning in your lower back, reduce the number of pain medications you may need, and delay the need for surgery. During treatment, your doctor will numb the treatment area and then insert a thin needle in the pain area. Fluoroscopy will guide your doctor throughout the procedure, and then you will receive a local anesthesia injection and a radiofrequency current through the needle.
Lumbar Facet Joint Block
An injection of a facet joint block may work well for you if you have back pain resulting from arthritic changes in your facet joints. Like radiofrequency ablation, your doctor will need a fluoroscopy to guide the needle to the painful area in your back. First, your doctor will numb your back with local anesthesia and then use longer needles to advance into your facet joints along the spine. After your doctor places the needles, you will receive local anesthesia medication, with or without steroids.
Transforaminal Injection
You can seek back pain relief through transformational injections, especially if the pain results from herniated disks and sciatica. Nerves running from your spinal cord to your legs may get irritated and inflamed and cause radiating back pain. Your doctor may recommend a steroid injection to reduce this inflammation, thus alleviating your back pain. First, you will receive an IV medication to help you relax, and then your doctor will insert a thin needle into your lower back to target the nerve root causing back pain. Your doctor will then inject anesthesia and steroid to provide long-term relief.
Spinal Cord Stimulation
A spinal cord stimulator uses electrodes and a small battery pack to deliver electrical impulses when you feel pain. Your doctor may recommend this option if you need more pain relief after trying less invasive treatment approaches. You will require only one incision to place the electrodes and batter under your skin during the implantation.
Your back contains structures, including muscles, joints, bones, nerves, and discs, that coordinate to bring to life every movement in your body. Thus, your back may suffer when you sustain an injury, and one part fails to function normally. You will likely begin to experience pain that lasts depending on the cause, and it may worsen over time if not treated. Therefore, it is necessary to seek treatment to avoid the symptoms that come with chronic back pain. Thankfully, non-surgical treatment options for back pain will allow you to resume regular activities soon.