7 Treatment Options for A Pinched Nerve in Your Lower Back

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In your lower back, a pinched nerve, also known as a compressed nerve, can cause intense pain and discomfort.

You may experience the following symptoms in your lower back, hips, buttocks, legs, ankles, and feet:

  • stabbing and shooting pain
  • numbness 
  • muscle weakness 
  • muscle spasms
  • loss of reflex

General practitioners and pain specialists typically recommend these four simple, non-invasive treatments before anything else:

1. Medicine

  • non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
  • Naproxen sodium (Aleve)
  • muscle relaxers

2. Physical Therapy

Physical therapy with a certified therapist can help heal and lessen the pain of a pinched nerve by improving your coordination, balance, and strength.

3. DIY Treatments 

Heat and cold therapy: ice packs, hot and cold compresses

Sleep adjustment: sleeping with a pillow under your back or between your legs to help ease pressure on nerves

Ergonomic adjustments: Keeping your legs elevated and placing pillows under your legs during the day to take the pressure off your spine

4. Lifestyle Changes

  • increased activity through exercise (aerobics, yoga, pilates, tai chi, weight training, etc.)
  • dieting

Exercising and dieting to lessen inflammation and lose weight can help heal and alleviate the pain from pinched nerves and lower the risk of suffering another pinched nerve.

 

YOU MAY ALSO BE COMFORTABLE TRYING NON-TRADITIONAL TREATMENTS AND MANAGEMENT:

5. Non-Traditional Therapies

Massage: Massage therapy can relieve pain from a pinched nerve caused by tight muscles, tendons, and ligaments (not by pressure from a herniated disc or other spine problem). 

Acupuncture: Acupuncture practitioners and some patients report that that practice decreases inflammation in the body, decreasing pain.

Chiropractic: Chiropractic realignment may relieve pressure on the spinal nerves, which can, in turn, reduce the pain and heal a pinched nerve.

 

BUT SOMETIMES, THE PAIN IS SEVERE AND LONG-LASTING, AND PAIN SPECIALISTS WILL RECOMMEND MORE AGGRESSIVE TREATMENTS: 

6. Out-Patient Drug Treatment and Prescription Drugs

Oral corticosteroids such as prednisone, methylprednisone, and dexamethasone can reduce pain by suppressing the body’s inflammatory response. 

Corticosteroid nerve block injections in the lower back can stop or reduce the pain for weeks or months (find out more about this and other pain treatments here).

The drawback is that these steroid medications reduce the body’s ability to fight infection.

Doctors may prescribe these oral drugs instead:

  • prescription opioids (one to two weeks to avoid dependence)
  • muscle relaxers
  • anticonvulsants
  • tricyclic antidepressants

 

AS A LAST RESORT WHEN OTHER TREATMENTS HAVE FAILED, SPECIALISTS WILL RECOMMEND A SURGICAL PROCEDURE: 

7. Surgery 

Herniated discs are a common cause of pinched nerves. In some cases, a discectomy is the best option.

The procedure involves a surgeon removing all or part of the disk pressing on the nerve root.

But this surgery may also involve removing or fusing vertebrae, which raises the risk significantly.

Treatment at Texas Pain Physicians 

If you’re experiencing pain and discomfort in your lower back and legs, we can help. 

At TPP, we have specialists across many medical disciplines who will find the treatment plan that suits you. 

Please call us at (972) 636-5727 to find out more or make an appointment. You can also book an appointment online.

Need Fast, Non-Surgical Relief for Lower Back Pain? An Epidural Injection May Be the Answer.

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Doctors and pain specialists generally recommend natural, non-surgical, and non-opioid treatments for pain.

Physical therapy, massage, over-the-counter medicines, and hot and cold therapy are a few of the most common first-line treatments. 

Fast-Acting Pain Relief for Weeks or Months

However, your doctor or pain specialist may recommend an epidural injection or nerve block when you have nerve-related pain in your lower back and legs.

Epidural injections for back pain are a powerful, non-invasive treatment that can provide pain relief for several months.

How They Work

Epidural injections can:  

  • Provide local pain relief.  
  • Block pain signals sent from the surrounding nerves.  
  • Temporarily cut off all sensory and motor neurons from below the injection site.  
  • Reduce swelling and inflammation.  

An injection contains either an anesthetic, a corticosteroid, or both. 

The anesthetic stops the nerves around the injection site from sending pain signals, and the corticosteroid reduces the swelling and inflammation.

When targeting herniated discs and swelling, epidurals may take 24 to 48 hours to start working.

Conditions epidural injections can help heal and provide pain relief for include:

  • pinched nerve
  • pain radiating from the spine
  • degenerative disc disease
  • herniated or bulging disc
  • recovery from back surgery
  • spondylolisthesis  
  • spinal stenosis
  • Sciatica

Conditions they don’t help to heal and provide pain relief for include:

  • general back pain (non-nerve related pain)
  • pain from bone spurs
  • pain from cancerous or non-cancerous growths
  • pain from pulled muscles 

Epidural injections may temporarily relieve pain from bone spurs or growths, which irritate the surrounding tissue and nerves.

However, this temporary relief will only delay other treatments or interventions (such as surgery).

Why Get One?

Epidural injections can be a temporary pain fix when you need to “buy time” for your back to heal from an injury.

They can also provide pain relief from a chronic pain condition as you go through physical therapy or other treatments with delayed benefits.

Though you will have to visit your pain physician and endure a little pain from the injection, it may save you weeks or months of popping pain meds.

And with an epidural injection, there’s no risk of addiction (unlike even short-term opioid prescriptions).

Back Pain Treatment in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Irving

Texas Pain Physicians is a leading patient-centered pain practice in Dallas, Houston, Irving, San Antonio, and the surrounding areas. 

Our pain specialists partner with you to help you achieve long-lasting pain relief. 

Please give us a call today at (972) 636-5727 or book an appointment online.

Facet Block Injections and Nerve Block Injections for Long-Term Pain Relief

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You may be living with pain from an injury, disorder, or disease. 

Good and bad days come and go.

But even when the pain goes away, you can count on it to return –  month after month, year after year.

You could spend a lot of time trying DYI and non-traditional therapies and treatments until you start finding relief. 

Or you could visit a pain management doctor. 

Pain Management Injections

Pain management doctors or pain specialists are trained to diagnose chronic pain conditions and apply the most effective minimally-invasive pain relief procedures.

Steroid injection is one of their simplest methods for relieving muscle, joint, and nerve pain.

Two of the most common injections are nerve block and facet joint injections.

The type that pain specialists choose depends on the location and source of your pain.

The Benefits of Pain Management Injections

  • safe and effective 
  • minimally invasive (non-surgical)
  • long-term pain relief (up to several months or longer)

Facet Joint Injections

The facet joints connect the spine’s bones and are found in the neck, chest, and back at each vertebral level. 

Pain specialists use facet joint injections (also known as facet blocks) to discover the source of your pain or treat pain by reducing inflammation in the spine’s joints.

What Facet Joint Injections Treat:

  • back pain due to injury 
  • arthritis damage in facet joints 
  • stress on the spine

Nerve Block Injections

Unlike facet blocks, nerve block injections can help pain specialists identify the source of nerve pain in the legs and feet or treat nerve pain in the head. 

 What Nerve Blocks Treat:

  • A lumbar sympathetic block can treat nerve pain symptoms in the feet and legs.
  • An occipital nerve block can treat nerve pain in the scalp and back of the head. 

Injection Procedures 

For a nerve block or facet joint injection procedure, a doctor or nurse administers two injections (a local anesthetic and steroid) into the designated area.  

Within minutes of the anesthetic injection, you may notice significant pain relief. 

Facet blocks and nerve blocks pain-relief injections are safe and highly unlikely to cause complications compared to surgical alternatives.

Get Long-Term Pain Relief in Texas

Are you tired of taking pain medication every day to keep up with your chronic pain? 

We can give you relief that lasts for weeks or months. 

To find out how pain management injections may help you, give Texas Pain Physicians a call at (972) 636-5727 or book your appointment online.

Lumbar Arthritis: What It Is and How Pain Specialists Treat It

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The most common area for spinal arthritis is the lower back (the lumbar spinal region). 

And the most common symptoms are pain and stiffness, though symptoms can include creaking sounds, muscle spasms, and decreased range of motion.

Let’s look at the three types of lumbar arthritis and how pain specialists treat them.

Lumbar Osteoarthritis

The most common form of arthritis, lumbar osteoarthritis is caused by the breakdown of cartilage that protects the lower spine joints.

The cartilage breakdown leaves the nerves seated in the spine exposed. 

As the spinal bones rub and grind together, the joints wear out, creating smooth, bony lumps known as bone spurs.

The bone spurs press against the exposed nerves, which causes pain.

Lumbar Spondyloarthritis 

Spondyloarthritis is a group of diseases characterized by inflammation at the attachment sites of the tendons and ligaments to the spine.

The disease can also attack the arms and legs, but the most common symptom is back pain.  

There are many variants of spondyloarthritis with similar pain symptoms, including psoriatic arthritis and reactive arthritis. 

Lumbar Osteoporosis 

The body is continually forming new bone to replace old, broken-down bone. 

Osteoporosis occurs when the body stops forming new bone fast enough to replace the broken down bone, resulting in lost bone mass.

Lumbar osteoporosis causes weakness and pain, and as bone mass decreases, bones become more vulnerable to injury. 

Home and Prescription Treatments

Doctors usually recommend home remedies like losing weight, exercise, physical therapy, prescription and non-prescription muscle relaxants, and over-the-counter pain relief medication to manage lumbar arthritis pain. 

Specialist-Driven Treatments 

When the above treatments don’t provide the expected relief, pain specialists often recommend outpatient procedures. 

Corticosteroid Injections

Caudal epidural injections can relieve the pain caused by narrowed disc space resulting in pressure on the nerves as they exit the spinal canal.

The procedure typically involves two injections in the lower back – one of steroid and one of anesthetic.

The anesthetic numbs the pain relief for a few hours, and the steroid reduces the inflammation,  relieving pain for up to several months or longer. 

Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) 

TENS therapy uses a painless, low-voltage electrical current to treat pain. 

The procedure involves attaching sticky pads or electrodes on the ends of leads to the skin on the lower back area and administering electrical current. 

Radiofrequency Ablation

This procedure stops lumbar arthritis pain by burning the nerve fibers carrying pain signals to the brain. 

A single procedure can eliminate pain for one to two years, though it may take around two weeks to experience pain relief. 

Lumbar Arthritis Treatment at Texas Pain Physicians

At TPP, we specialize in treating and managing pain.

We can develop a customized treatment plan for your lumbar arthritis or other arthritis.

We offer same-day appointments, advanced medical technology, and exceptional patient care.

Give us a call today or schedule your appointment online.

6 Treatment and Management Options for Lumbar Stenosis

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It’s been said that getting old isn’t for the faint of heart. At Texas Pain Physicians, we think getting old can be for the young at heart – when you aren’t in pain.

It’s true, degenerative conditions cause chronic pain and keep you from living life on your terms.

Lumbar Stenosis

Lumbar or lower back spinal stenosis, a common degenerative condition causing chronic pain, happens when the spinal canal in your lower back narrows, causing bone spurs and herniated discs that put pressure on the nerves.

Lumbar spinal stenosis can cause burning, pins and needles, pain, numbness, cramping, weakness, and other symptoms.

Treatment and Management 

But you have multiple treatment and management options.

Let’s look at six ways to treat and manage lumbar spinal stenosis.

1. Over-the-Counter Medication

Anti-inflammatory over-the-counter medicines such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB), acetaminophen (Tylenol), and naproxen (Aleve) can stop pain from spinal stenosis for a few hours.

Please be sure to consult with your doctor and use as directed.

2. Prescription Medication

Doctors often use tricyclic Antidepressants such as amitriptyline and Nortriptyline and anti-seizure drugs like Neurontin and Lyrica to treat chronic pain caused by nerve damage.

3. Steroid Injections

Epidural steroid injections into the affected area can help decrease the pain and inflammation caused by nerve damage.

But this treatment should be used as little as possible because repeated steroid injections are known to weaken nearby bones and connective tissue.

4. Physical therapy

Sometimes it seems impossible to start getting active. To begin stretching and exercising when you are in pain.

But it’s critical to try because being inactive can lead to muscle weakness and increased pain.

A physical therapist can help you perform exercises that strengthen your lower back and increase your spine’s flexibility and stability.

5. Daily Activity Modification

An occupational therapist can help you modify your posture and safely perform actions like sitting and bending over to avoid worsening your pain or hurting yourself.

Here are a few things you can do on your own if you can’t see a therapist or have to wait to see one:

  • Use walking support: Walking while bent over and leaning on a walker or shopping cart instead of walking upright
  • Get on a stationary bike: Stationary biking is a low-impact exercise, and you can lean forward on the handlebars for support.
  • Sit in the right chair: Sit in a chair with a backrest that reclines that you can stretch and rest your spine.

6. Wear A Neck or Back Brace

Wearing a neck brace or back brace restricts the spine’s movement, which helps avoid pain.

But if you wear a brace, try to limit it to short periods so that the muscles get enough stimulation and stay strong.

Spinal Stenosis Treatment and Management You Can Count On

Do you have spinal stenosis or suffer from lower back pain? The pain specialists at Texas Pain Physicians can help you get back on your feet and grab life by the horns again.

Please give us a call at (972) 636-5727 or book your appointment online today. We have 16 convenient locations in and around Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Irving.

How Pain Specialists Manage and Treat Herniated Disc Pain

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Pain from a herniated disc can be mild and easy to handle, moderate and distracting, or severe enough to send you straight to a doctor.

It can hit suddenly and resolve in a few days. It can be constant or chronic and last for months or longer. 

Doctors specialized in pain management recommend treating herniated disc pain with conservative, non-surgical treatments. They may recommend surgery only after all other treatments have failed. 

The Three Types of Herniated Discs 

1. Contained Herniation (bulging disc)

With this type of herniation, there is generally no pain or mild pain. 

Bulging discs occur when pressure between the vertebrae pinches the disc, forcing it to bulge. When there is pain, it comes from the bulging disc putting pressure on nearby spinal nerves.

2. Non-Contained Herniation (severe bulging disc)

This severe disc herniation generally causes severe back pain.

It can also be associated with numbness, weakness, and tingling in the extremities from the extreme pressure on spinal nerves. 

3. Sequestered herniation (disc rupture)

This type of herniation can cause intense pain and decreased mobility. It is also associated with numbness, weakness, and tingling in the extremities.

Disc ruptures can occur when non-contained herniations or severe bulging discs go untreated. As pressure between the vertebrae builds up, it eventually overloads the discs, forcing them to rupture. 

Where They Occur in the Body

Most herniated discs are in the neck and lower back.

Lumbar pain (lower back) 

Sciatica or leg pain is the most common symptom associated with herniated discs in the lower back.

Patients describe sharp, burning, or radiating pain down the lower back, through the buttock, and down the leg (pain travels through the sciatic nerve). 

Herniated lumbar discs can also cause numbness and muscle weakness in the foot and ankle. 

Cervical herniated disc (neck) 

Depending on the location of the herniated disc, pain can present in the neck, shoulder, arm, and hand. The pain from cervical herniated discs can last for days, weeks, months or longer, and be constant or chronic. 

When a herniated disc puts too much pressure on cervical nerves, patients can experience tingling, numbness, and weakness in the deltoid muscle (shoulder muscle), biceps, wrist muscles, hands, and triceps.

Thoracic Spine (upper back)

Disc herniations in the upper back are less common and rarely cause pain. When there is pain, it presents in the upper back and chest. 

Pain Treatments for Them

Pain management specialists typically begin herniated disc treatment with rest and NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs).

Medications 

Depending on the severity of the pain, medication may make it easier for patients to tolerate physical therapy. 

  • OTC NSAIDs like aspirin and ibuprofen (recommended for mild to moderate pain)
  • oral narcotic agents (prescribed for severe pain)
  • oral steroids (prescribed to treat severe pain and reduce inflammation)

Home and Non-M.D. Treatments

These are treatments that don’t require a pain management doctor’s expertise.

When applied for 4-6 weeks, these treatments can help reduce pain and discomfort. Applying more than one treatment at once may achieve better results. 

  • Heat and cold therapy
  • Moderate physical activity
  • Chiropractic
  • Moderate exercise
  • Changing sleep positions 
  • physical therapy
  • Myofascial release and/or massage

Therapeutic Injections

Pain management specialists may recommend therapeutic injections if conventional therapies and medications don’t work or provide relief soon enough. 

Therapeutic injections can relieve pain for days, weeks, and even months, which buys time for conservative, non-surgical treatments to work.

Two commonly used therapeutic injections: 

  • epidural injections: Used to reduce inflammation and provide extended pain relief.
  • nerve blocks: Used to diagnose the source of the neck pain and to provide extended pain relief.

Herniated Disc Treatment in Texas

If you have been diagnosed with a herniated disc or think you may have one, Texas Pain Physicians can help. We have offices in Houston, Dallas, and a dozen other locations across Texas.

Give us a call or book an appointment online and start your pain-free journey today!

A male asian doctor examins a male asian patient's lower back as the patient sits up straight on an exam table.

Is a Spinal Cord Stimulator Implant Right for You? 6 Things to Know.

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Picking up your dog shouldn’t hurt. Neither should getting out of bed.

Imagine a one-time, minimally-invasive procedure that can give you constant back pain relief for the rest of your life.

That’s what a spinal cord stimulator can do. 

Here are some considerations to give you an idea of whether this back pain treatment may be for you.

1. You understand how this treats back pain.

Spinal cord stimulators treat back pain with electrical impulses believed to block the brain from receiving pain signals.

2. You understand the procedure and the healing process.

A spinal cord stimulator implant procedure is a minimally invasive, outpatient procedure. It involves anesthetic injections and two small incisions (2 to 4 inches long).

The incisions make room to insert the small, thin wire leads and the neurostimulator under the skin.

There may be some discomfort for a few days as the skin heals at the surgical site.

3. Your pain management doctor approves.

Your doctor specialized in pain management will advise for or against spinal cord stimulation.

A trustworthy, qualified doctor would only recommend spinal cord stimulation if it had an excellent chance of success.

If you decide to go forward with the procedure, the doctor will order X-rays, MRIs, and psychiatric tests. Psychiatric disorders can lessen and even negate the benefit of spinal cord stimulation.

4. Your back pain is chronic.

Chronic pain is pain that lasts a minimum of three months. Yours may have already been around a lot longer than that.

A spinal cord stimulator provides pain relief by sending electrical impulses to the pain area.

5. Other methods haven’t worked for you.

You have tried other pain-relieving methods like surgeries, medications, non-invasive treatments, and conservative therapies (yoga, exercise, diet change, etc.).

Nothing has worked or provided enough relief.

6. You suffer from Failed Back Surgery Syndrome (FBSS).

Failed Back Surgery Syndrome is when back surgery doesn’t deliver the expected pain relief or creates a new pain problem.

It’s one of the most common conditions patients cite as their main reason for getting spinal cord stimulator implants.

7. You suffer from one or more pain conditions.

Spinal cord stimulation can relieve pain caused by common conditions like arthritis, sciatica, and herniated disc.

It may also be a treatment option for conditions such as:

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) – Burning pain in an arm or leg due to a traumatic injury, surgery, stroke, or heart attack.

Peripheral Neuropathy – Burning pain in the legs or feet due to nerve death.

Angina – Chest pain and shortness of breath.

Arachnoiditis – Painful condition caused when the membrane surrounding the spinal cord swells due to infection, injury, or chronic compression.

Non-Invasive Back Pain Relief in Texas

If you suffer from back pain, our team of board-certified pain specialists can help. We have over a dozen clinics in Texas, including Houston, Dallas, and Irving.

Give us a call at (972) 636-5727, and start down your path to pain relief today!

Young asian woman touching her neck while wincing in pain.

The VERY Painful Pinched Nerve… 7 Ways to Avoid This Common Injury.

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Many athletes call them ‘stingers.’ Doctors call them pinched or compressed nerves. 

And they hurt like giant bee stings. 

The pain usually hits in the neck, in an area known as the brachial plexus, where the nerves extend down into the arms.

Pinched nerves have sudden and gradual causes; they can strike suddenly when lifting a heavy object or gradually develop because of poor posture.

Here are seven things you can do to avoid suffering a pinched nerve.

1. Get Enough Sleep

The best way to prevent a pinched nerve is to let your mind and body recover from the day.

When you have more energy to think clearly, you are less likely to make uncoordinated movements that lead to injuries.  

2. Practice Good Sitting Posture

Consistent poor sitting posture can cause pinched nerves. Try to sit so that your neck isn’t bent.

If you work in an office, adjust your monitor so that the top edge is eye level.

3. Stand More. 

Sitting for long periods with bad posture can cause pinched nerves. 

If you work at a table or desk, try adjusting your workstation so that you can work while standing.

4. Practice sound body mechanics.  

It’s easy to strain your neck and back.

When getting into or out of bed, exercising, or hiking up a mountain, try to make smooth, mechanically sound body movements.

And if you have to move to a new place or help your neighbors move, lift heavy objects with your legs instead of your back. 

5. Don’t play contact sports. 

Many people grow up playing contact sports like soccer, basketball, and American football.

The fitness aspect is good for you, but the contact can lead to pinched nerves and other sports injuries.

And pinched nerves are common injuries in contact sports. If you play contact sports, warm-up, stay hydrated, and take breaks. 

6. Do Strength and Flexibility Exercises.

Stretching and strength-building activities like yoga and pilates stretch the nerves in your neck and arms.

This loosens the tension and relieves pressure on your nerves, making pinched nerves less likely.

7. Do physical therapy.

Physical therapy methods like massage and cold laser therapy can prevent and lessen muscle strain and muscle inflammation. 

Pain Management and Treatment at Texas Pain Physicians

Have a pinched nerve or think you may be at risk for a pinched nerve? We have expert pain management doctors who treat them and help you prevent them. 

Give us a call at (972) 636-5727 or book your appointment today!

Lower Back Pain Ruining Your Sleep? 10 Things You Can Do to Sleep Better

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It’s miserable waking up bleary-eyed after tossing and turning all night. You can’t afford to go through that again. 

And you don’t have to.

Let’s look at some simple ways to reduce back pain so you can sleep better.

1. Sleep on your side.

This position keeps your spine correctly aligned and your body balanced, reducing the pressure on the lower back or lumbar. You can put a pillow between your knees to add more support.

2. Use a taller body pillow.

If you are a side sleeper, try using a taller body pillow to help maintain a neutral spine as you sleep. 

3. Put a pillow under your back.

If you are a back sleeper, support your lower back by putting a pillow between your legs or knees. 

4. Put a rolled-up towel around your waist.

This is for back and side sleepers. Wrap a rolled-up bath towel around your waist and tie it in the front. This will help maintain the spine’s natural curve. 

5. Put a large pillow under your lower back and waist and a smaller pillow under your head.

This helps if you sleep on your stomach by keeping your lower back from taking on a U-shape as you sleep. 

6. Lay down and get up safely. 

To lay down, sit down on your bed like you sit down in a chair. Next, ease down to your side or back, supporting yourself with your right or left arm, or both (if sleeping on your back).

To get up from your side, push yourself up with your arms and hands as you swing your legs over the side of the bed. 

To get up from your back or stomach, shift onto your side, then do the above.

From both positions, always avoid bending forward at the waist and jerking yourself up unsupported.

7. Don’t eat too late. 

Eating meals two hours or less before bedtime can trigger acid reflux and disturbing dreams. Spicy food and dairy are especially risky.

8. Avoid consuming caffeine and alcohol too late.

Try to avoid drinking caffeinated drinks in the afternoon and evening. Too much caffeine too late can make it hard to calm down and get to sleep. 

Also, drinking too much alcohol close to bedtime can interrupt the sleep cycle, robbing you of restorative slow-wave sleep.  

9. Try OTC medications and supplements.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants, and topical treatments can reduce back pain and make sleeping easier.

10. Try some relaxation techniques. 

Deep breathing and progressive muscle relaxation can help you relax and sleep better.

Visit the Pain Management Specialists

At Texas Pain Physicians, our doctors have the expertise to manage and treat lower back pain. We can help you make the best decision to handle it so that you start sleeping better.

Feel free to give us a call at (972) 636-5727 or book an appointment online today!

 

Spine Pain

Still in Pain after Spine Surgery? 6 Treatments to Help You Start Feeling Better.

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1 in 5 people* will have spine surgery that fails to provide long-term pain relief, regardless of the type of procedure. This number includes minimally invasive spine surgeries.

Back surgery that fails to relieve pain is known as Failed Back Surgery Syndrome (FBBS).

Whether you are going through normal post-operative pain or FBBS, a conservative, non-surgical approach is the safest way to manage your pain.

Let’s take a look at some treatment options.

1. Cognitive-Behavior Therapy

Cognitive-behavioral therapy involves meeting with a therapist 10 to 20 times. The therapist helps you focus on changing negative thoughts and feelings when you have back pain.

Positive thinking cannot stop the pain, but it can help to manage it.

2. Relaxation Techniques

Worrying about pain can make it worse. Chronic stress causes elevated stress hormones, muscle tension, and inflammation.

Relaxation techniques can lower the number of stress hormones in your body, relax muscles, calm the mind, and promote a sense of well-being.

Practicing relaxation techniques such as four-square breathing exercises, mindfulness meditation, and hypnosis regularly can have long-term, positive results.

3. Transcutaneous Nerve Stimulation

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is a therapy that uses a low voltage electrical current to relieve pain.

Doctors have proposed that the therapy relieves pain when nerves block the transmission of pain signals or raise the level of endorphins, the human body’s pain-killing chemical.

4. Pain Medication

Doctors often prescribe pain medication and recommend OTC pain medication to manage post-operative pain and ongoing pain.

As prescription opioid medication can be addictive, it’s necessary to have skilled pain doctors who can devise safe treatment strategies.

5. Steroid Injections

Many patients experience post-surgery pain from the swelling and inflammation at the surgery site. Steroid injections reduce this swelling and inflammation.

A single steroid injection procedure can provide pain relief for months.

6. Topical Therapies

Topical treatments can provide relief for post-operative surgical pain and ongoing back pain.

Applying dry or moist heat to the surgery site can decrease pain and allow temporary mobility.

Studies show moist heat application penetrates deeper and faster than dry heat, providing more temporary relief and functional movement.

Applying a cold compress or pack to the surgery site can relieve pain by reducing blood flow and inflammation during the initial, most intense healing phase.

 

Back pain relief in Houston, Dallas, and many other locations in Texas.

Perhaps they told you it was because of surgeon error or misdiagnosis.

Whatever the issue was, you are still in pain.

At Texas Pain Physicians, our board-certified pain management doctors are experts in well-established and innovative back pain treatment methods.

Contact us today at (972) 636-5727 to book your appointment.

 

*According to a 2020 study by The Journal of Orthopedic Research