Non-Surgical Treatments For Back And Leg Pain

Most people prefer to avoid back surgery if they can avoid it. While it is sometimes unavoidable, there are many treatments available and recommended to try prior to considering surgery. A lot of back pain is a result of an injury and inflammation in the spine. If we can reduce the inflammation in the spine it can take pressure off a pinched nerve, allow the injury to begin to heal and reduce your pain. For that reason, a first line treatment for back pain is anti-inflammatory medication. Over the counter anti-inflammatories include Ibuprofen and Naproxen. Some prescription anti-inflammatories you may have heard of are Meloxicam and Celebrex. There are medications that can help to treat nerve related pain that often radiates into the legs such as Gabapentin, Lyrica or Cymbalta. Stronger prescription pain medications can be helpful temporarily, but are typically not recommended for long term use. Physical therapy is also an important and helpful tool for some people depending on their spine pathology.

If you have persistent pain despite the initial medications and physical therapy, it is important to obtain more advanced imaging such as an MRI of the low back. After reviewing the MRI, your provider may refer you to a pain management physician who is able to perform injections in the spine to help alleviate pain. While there are many types of injections, there are two main types that are most commonly recommended for back pain. The first is a lumbar epidural steroid injection. An epidural steroid injection is performed under x-ray guidance so your Doctor can see your spine when performing the injection. A solution containing steroid medication is injected directly into the area of the spine where most of your pain is coming from with the goal to reduce inflammation and promote healing. Another type of common injection is called a facet injection. This type of injection treats arthritis in the small joints of the spine. There are small nerves in those joints and their main job is to send pain signals to the brain. If facet injections are helpful, a radiofrequency ablation procedure can be performed in which those tiny nerves are burned in order to the block the pain signals and ultimately significantly reduce back pain.

If you have tried medications, physical therapy and injections in your spine already, it is time to discuss with your Doctor if surgery would beneficial for you or not.