Back pain isn’t just an uncomfortable nuisance; it can be debilitating and can greatly diminish your quality of life.
If you’re contemplating seeing a doctor for your back pain, preparing questions beforehand helps you make the most out of your appointment.
Here are the most common questions doctors are asked regarding back pain that you may find useful.
What Is Causing My Back Pain?
Back pain is caused by various factors, such as poor body mechanics, arthritis, muscle strain, disc herniation, and being overweight.
Seeing an orthopedic doctor for your back pain can help you find out what’s exactly causing it, and provides you with an opportunity to do what’s necessary to prevent it from worsening.
How Do I Prevent It?
One of your best bets for preventing back pain is to do back strengthening exercises. Strengthening your back muscles helps you provide better support for your spine, allowing it to withstand stress.
Strengthening the core muscles and hamstring muscles helps improve your posture and flexibility and prevent lower back pain. A physical therapist can teach you stretches and back strengthening exercises, particularly the McKenzie method, which can help prevent and alleviate back pain associated with a spinal disc problem.
What Are My Treatment Options?
For mild to moderate cases of back pain, your doctor will likely recommend conservative methods, such as medications and massage therapy. If your back pain is chronic, your doctor may suggest minimally invasive treatment options, such as cortisone shots and epidural injections, which provide significant relief that can last for several months.
However, if conservative and minimally invasive methods no longer provide relief, surgery may be necessary, especially in cases of a ruptured disc. Ultimately, you still get to decide what treatment you are most comfortable with.
Can Vitamin Supplements Help with My Back Pain?
Possibly. Natural supplements are fairly effective at reducing inflammation and providing some pain relief. They work best when used in conjunction with a healthy diet and regular exercise.
However, the word “natural” doesn’t equate to safety, so it pays to discuss this with your doctor, especially since there are supplements that can interact with other medications and cause complications, and there are some that just don’t work.
Top-Notch Back Pain Treatment in Westlake and Avon, OH
At Orthopaedic Associates, our board-certified orthopedic doctors have extensive training and expertise in treating all types of conditions involving the neck and back using nonsurgical and surgical approaches. Our nonsurgical back pain treatment options include fluoroscopic-guided joint injections and epidural injections.
At Orthopaedic Associates, our goal is to improve the alignment of your spine, relieve pressure and pain, and prevent further injuries. We make sure to exhaust all conservative and minimally invasive treatment options before recommending back surgery.
Don’t let back pain rob you of your sleep—and of life’s pleasures! Arrange a consultation with any of our orthopedic doctors by calling us at (440) 892-1440 or (866) 362-7624. We look forward to serving you!