What Treatment Options Are Available for Chronic Back Pain?

Treatment Options for Chronic Back Pain

Chronic back pain can be challenging and affect every aspect of your life, from work to daily activities and sleep. At Carolina Orthopaedic & Neurosurgical Associates (CONA), we understand how chronic back pain impacts our patients, and we’re here to provide a comprehensive range of treatment options tailored to your needs. Our team of experts in South Carolina is dedicated to helping you find relief from chronic back pain.

Non-Surgical Treatments for Chronic Back Pain

For many patients, non-surgical options are the first step in managing chronic back pain. These treatments reduce pain and inflammation, improve mobility, and enhance strength without invasive procedures.

Physical Therapy: Often a core component of back pain treatment, physical therapy focuses on exercises to strengthen the muscles supporting the spine. Our skilled therapists at CONA design personalized programs to help improve your range of motion, alleviate pain, and prevent future injuries.

Medications: Pain relief medications can play a significant role in managing chronic back pain. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and muscle relaxants are commonly prescribed to reduce inflammation and relieve discomfort. For those with nerve-related pain, medications such as gabapentin may also be recommended.

Epidural Steroid Injections: These injections are administered directly into the spine, delivering powerful anti-inflammatory medication to the area causing pain. They provide temporary relief, which can help patients make progress in physical therapy or other rehabilitation efforts.

Lifestyle Modifications: Managing chronic back pain often involves changing lifestyle habits. Weight management, ergonomic adjustments at work, and avoiding activities that strain the back are all beneficial ways to reduce pain and prevent flare-ups.

Minimally Invasive Procedures for Chronic Back Pain

When non-surgical options don’t provide sufficient relief, minimally invasive procedures can be the next step for patients dealing with chronic back pain. These options offer the benefits of faster recovery times and smaller incisions compared to traditional surgery.

Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA): RFA targets the nerves causing pain by using heat generated by radio waves, effectively blocking pain signals to the brain. This technique can provide long-lasting pain relief for patients with certain types of chronic back pain.

Nerve Blocks: Like steroid injections, nerve blocks deliver medication to specific pain-related nerves. They can provide relief and help our specialists determine the pain’s source, allowing for more targeted treatment.

Vertebroplasty and Kyphoplasty: These minimally invasive procedures involve injecting bone cement to stabilize the spine and relieve pain for patients with vertebral compression fractures.

Surgical Options

If conservative and minimally invasive treatments have not been successful, surgery may be necessary to provide lasting relief from chronic back pain. CONA offers advanced surgical solutions for patients who require them.

Spinal Fusion: This procedure joins two or more vertebrae to eliminate movement between them, reducing pain where spinal instability is a contributing factor.

Disk Replacement: In some cases, an artificial disk can replace a damaged one to preserve spinal movement while alleviating pain.

Laminectomy: Often used to treat spinal stenosis, a laminectomy removes a portion of the vertebra, relieving pressure on the spinal cord or nerves.

Expert Back Pain Treatment at Carolina Orthopaedic & Neurosurgical Associates

At Carolina Orthopaedic & Neurosurgical Associates, we are committed to finding the best treatment for your specific back pain condition. Book an appointment at one of our three locations to get your back pain under control.