Back Pain: Finding Relief

The spine is a masterpiece of design, absorbing nearly every bump, jolt and shock sent its way while simultaneously providing an incredible amount of agility and flexibility.

The spine has three natural curves, in the neck, upper back and lower back. These curves help absorb the impact of movement. The lower back bears most of the body's weight and is the most vulnerable to injury.

Excess weight and poor muscle tone commonly contribute to back pain. Poor posture also stresses the natural curves of your back. And one out of four people with back pain missed at least one day of work in the last year due to their pain, according to a government survey. Back pain is the second leading reason people visit a doctor.

Back pain is a common ailment which has a major physical and psychological impact on a person's well being, says May Chin, MD, co-director of General Hospital's Pain Management Center. "The goal of treatment of low back pain is to relieve the pain and restore the patient to a reasonable level of function," says Chin.

Pain Treatment at the Center
Treatment options at the Pain Management Center include use of pain control medications, nerve blocks, physical therapy and stimulation techniques.

• Nerve block techniques can be used for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.
• Epidural steroid injections are used to reduce inflammation in nerve roots.
• Trigger point injections with local anesthetics can alleviate muscle spasm and are used in conjunction with physical therapy.
• Stimulation techniques include massage, use of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), and acupuncture.

Rehabilitation of pain patients
Physical therapy is a major component in the rehabilitation of chronic back pain patients, says Chin. Physical therapy works to strengthen muscles, improve joint flexibility and range of motion, and increase endurance through aerobic activities.

"Many patients with chronic pain experience frustration, anger, anxiety and depression as they deal with persistent, disabling pain," says Chin. "An effective treatment program for pain also addresses the psychological aspect of the problem."

At the Pain Management Center, patients can learn to use hypnosis, biofeedback and self-help techniques during periods of acute pain. Some also benefit from evaluation by a trained mental health professional.

Seeking help for pain relief
With the many treatment options available for back pain, finding relief from frequency and intensity of chronic back pain can be a reality. Treatment from a multidisciplinary team, like the General Hospital Pain Center can be a first step.

If you have any of the following danger signals, however, consult your physician immediately:

• Pain with no obvious cause.
• Pain that increases in severity or lasts more than three weeks.
• Pain associated with numbness or extreme weakness in an arm or leg.
• Pain unrelieved by rest.
• Pain for which you can find no comfortable position.
• Pain accompanied by sickness, fever, chills, sweats, loss of appetite, nausea, weight loss, kidney or bladder problems, constipation, diarrhea or incontinence.