Physiatrist (Physical Medicine) Questions Physiatrist

What is the most effective treatment for chronic low back pain?

I have chronic low back pain. I want to treat it. What is the most effective treatment for chronic low back pain?

4 Answers

Physiatrist(PhysicalMedicine)Physiatrist
Hello and happy thanksgiving.
I appreciate you reaching out - you have taken the first step, which can go a long way. It is difficult to try to answer with a simple response. There are a lot of questions regarding your back pain, such as what type of pathology is actually causing the pain, what your age is, what typically makes it better or worse, what you do for a living, etc.

For starters, try not to sit in a slumped posture - this can go a very, very long way. If you are on a couch, don’t sit back and “slide” into the couch, putting your back in a bend. Sit with your butt to the back of any seat you are in. If you need to rest, lie down. Do this with your knees bent, on your back or one side. Avoid a lot of activities that require repetitive or prolonged bending (especially bending forward). Lastly, be confident in your body and get moving! Try to do a lot of walking and other forms of mild exercise where your spine is in a fairly neutral position. Our bodies like blood as it clears out waste and brings oxygen and other healthy nutrients to tissue. The way to bring a lot of new blood is to move. If you are developing severe pain, stop, as you don’t want to overdo and set yourself back. But feel free to push through mild to moderate levels of pain.

Many people think they “need rest.” So, they sit slumped on the couch and stop moving. They’re in a bent position and they’re not getting any blood moving or muscle activation. We have our bodies so that they can move us, and that’s what they are made to do. So do it! See a physical therapist. Someone who really knows how to treat a chronic back. You CAN do this.
Good luck.
A combination of manual therapy, stretching, and strengthening. All depending on what is causing the chronic low back pain.
There is no simple answer. You have to have a diagnosis first. Need to know more about prior treatments.
There is no cookbook answer to this question. Everyone is different. The treatment is dependent on the cause of the pain and the nature of the pain. I believe physical therapy is good to try as a physical therapist could explore several options with you, such as manual therapy, electrical stimulation, aquatic therapy, core and back strengthening, etc