What Are The Treatment Options For Low Back Pain?

1. Oral pain medicine, which may include non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDS like Ibuprofen), steroids, narcotics, muscle relaxers, etc.

2. Physical Therapy, which may include exercise, joint mobilizations/manipulations, modalities (such as electric stimulation, lumbar traction), postural corrections, body mechanics, education about cause of pain and forms of self-treatment/prevention, hands-on techniques, taping, functional activity training, aquatic/water therapy.

3. Injections to the lumbar spine (such as Cortisone).

4. Surgery (more common with major spine trauma or with chronic low back pain that has failed to improve with conservative treatments).

5. Chiropractic care, including manipulations and decompression (a form of lumbar traction).

6. Alternative therapies, including massage, accupuncture, etc.

7. Advertised home treatments, such as an Inversion Table, Back2Life, etc.

8. TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) unit, which is a device that you connect to electrodes placed on the skin of the low back. This is similar to the electric stimulation at Physical Therapy and Chiropractor offices.

9. Over-the-counter creams, medications, heat/ice, patches, supplements.

10. Bracing (more common after certain low back surgeries).

My biggest advice for you is 3-fold:
Prevent low back pain; it can be prevented!
If you have occasional low back pain, read the book “Treat Your Own Back,” by Robin McKenzie.
Try Physical Therapy before other treatment options.

Published by lizbnavarr@gmail.com


Join the Conversation


  1. What if I have had chronic back pain? Should I consider cortisone injections? Also how do I know if I have good posture. My back doctor's advice was to stand against a wall and flatten my lower back as much as possible by tightening my abs.


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