If you have prolonged moderate to severe back pain, chances are at some point a doctor is going to suggest back surgery. Most likely this suggestion will come after pain med prescriptions and epidural blocks have lost their efficiency and you are at your rope's end.
There are many things you can do to help your back heal and avoid going under the knife. Of course everyone is different and each cause of back pain is unique, so unfortunately a "one cure fits all" remedy is simply not available.
Let's get going. First and foremost is diet and exercise. Yeah yeah I am sure you are as sick as the rest of us of hearing you've got to work out and eat right. But maybe you are hearing it so much because it is actually important? Just a thought.
The preventative effects exercise alone can have on your back and its overall health are significant. Ever heard of exercises that strengthen your core? They are not referring to your spirit or soul. They are referring to that group of muscles located in and around your midsection (your waist and lower back). They are called obliques, abdominals, flexors, extensors and glutes. Keep these babies toned and loose and you will not only avoid a plethora of potential back problems later in life, but you will find your posture is one even 18th century Aristocrats would be proud of.
Keeping these muscles strong keeps weight bearing forces off the spine...which can prevent such nasties as bulging or herniated discs, degenerative disc disease, and facet joint deterioration. All of which equal pain with a capital "P." Regarding diet, answer this question: What is most likely to wear down your spine-80 or more lbs of beer belly fat (men) or no extra weight at all? Does the answer really need to be stated?
What does need stating is the effect smoking can have on the back. As if you needed one more reason to not smoke, the arteries which carry precious nutrient-rich blood to your back-including to all the delicate tissue around your spin and the discs and muscles that cushion and support it-tend to harden and restrict with age. Smoking speeds up this process possibly making it so you have an 80-year old back when you are only 60 or 65. Lack of nutrients to your back is an open door invitation for degenerative diseases such as arthritis to take hold.
But let's say you've already spent most your life neglecting your core muscles coupled with a wicked mixture of bad eating habits. Now you have constant moderate to severe back pain. Is it too late? Is your back destined to be sliced and diced? No, not necessarily.
Again, this has to be said with caution because sometimes surgery may indeed be necessary. But we'll assume you are one of the many lucky ones who can find relief without a surgical knife. How do you know if you are one of the lucky ones? One of the following tactics will work.
To begin with, start exercising your core muscles! Trouble is by now you may be in so much pain that you can't actually exercise. Now what?
Work with a physical therapist. Start slow, with stretches and mild moves. Believe it or not, little by little your muscles will strengthen. However, that might not be enough. You may have damage that needs repaired in addition to strengthening your core. Fortunately the body is its own best healer!A chiropractor, especially one that specializes in spinal decompression, may be exactly what you need. Today's decompression tables are guided by super smart computers that control the force and angle of the pull on the spine thus tricking the body's natural tendency to resist. The result is extra room between the vertebrae into which bulging or herniated discs can distract and heal.
Lastly, use a decompression spinal brace for your toughest times. Such a brace can give your back the break (no pun intended) it needs just long enough to get you to your next round of core-strengthening exercises.
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