1-

• Contact Laser Spine Institute
• Request MRI Review
• Medical Spine Seminar

You are here

• Home
• »
• Spine Conditions

How To Treat Back Pains & How Not To Treat Back Pains

Just as there are myriad causes of back pain, there are many different treatment options. How best to treat back pains depends on the nature and severity of the source – a herniated disc will be treated differently from osteoarthritis, for instance. As with anything as common as back pain, a bevy of myths and legends abound, leaving the back pain sufferer to distinguish sound medicine from folklore. Here are some common misconceptions regarding the treatment of back pains.

Back Pain Misconceptions

• Back pain requires bed rest. This is among the most common mistaken assumptions. Yes, it is important to rest when it is too painful to move; rest at this phase allows the irritation that causes pain to subside and healing to begin. Once able to move, however, the patient must begin physical rehabilitation under proper supervision in order to continue healing at a reasonable speed and to help prevent similar injuries.
• I’ll just have to live with my aching back. This is not always the case, as many back conditions and injuries tend to respond well to physical therapy, pain medication, anti-inflammatory drugs, and lifestyle changes – but you must stick with the program.
• I won’t experience back pain because I’m in shape. False. In fact, overly muscular people run the risk of muscle imbalance, which can actually increase the chance of injury.
• I have to get surgery for my back to stop hurting. A surprising number of people leap to this conclusion, but back surgery is not for everyone. Only after a prolonged and faithful application of non-invasive treatment should surgery even register as a possibility.

Surgery Only Occasionally Recommended

Click Here to see how you can get your life back in 5 days

Sometimes, though, it might happen that your doctor will recommend surgery to correct a condition such as a herniated disc, foraminal stenosis, or bone spur – at which point you should consider Laser Spine Institute (LSI). We are equipped with the most advanced, laser-assisted technology and staffed by expert orthopedic surgeons whose goal it is to help those stricken with back pains. Our advanced, endoscopic spine procedures enable you to have your spine condition treated in an outpatient setting.

For a free review of your CT scan or MRI or to discuss whether laser spine treatment is right for you, contact LSI today.

Please note: Laser Spine Institute currently does not perform endoscopic procedures on the thoracic spine.