Treatment

Therapy can help you reduce and manage back pain. This can include:

Acupuncture: Small needles are placed into specific points on your body, which can trigger the release of endorphins—natural pain-reducing chemicals.

Chiropractic therapy: Manipulation, a technique in which the chiropractor manually moves a joint to increase its mobility, is used to alleviate pain.

Occupational therapy: Occupational therapists help modify the way you perform job functions and normal tasks.

Physical therapy: Physical therapy normally starts with low-impact exercises such as swimming, bicycling or walking, and progresses to specific conditioning exercises.

You should see your doctor if you experience any
of the following:

pain after a trauma such as a car accident or a fall off a ladder

constant pain that gets progressively worse

pain lasts longer than four to eight weeks

severe pain at night that may even wake you up from a deep sleep

abdominal pain that accompanies your back pain

numbness in upper inner thighs or groin

Source: www.spine-health.com, by Charles D. Ray, MD

When you have back pain, don’t forget to ask your doctor these important questions:

What's causing my back pain?

Are there activities I should avoid?

Is the way I do my job affecting my back?

What treatment options should I consider?

How long should I take medication or do special exercises?

How long will it take before the pain starts disappearing?

What can I do to prevent it from persisting or returning?

Source: American College of Rheumatology