Non-Surgical Options You Can Consider To Treat Lower Back Pain
Chronic back pain is an ailment that a significant number of people suffer from as they get older. Some of the reasons why you could be suffering from lower back pain include irritation of your nerves, muscle pulls, muscle spasms, slipped disc and more. For some individuals, the pain may be too excessive that their first instinct is to resort to surgical procedures to alleviate this pain. However, you can also deal with this pain without pharmaceuticals or invasive clinical measures. Here are some of the non-surgical options that you can consider to treat lower back pain.
Heat therapy to relieve lower back pain
Heat therapy refers to the application of heat on the areas where the pain is concentrated in your back. Heat therapy functions to provide relief from lower back pain in various ways. Firstly, the direct heat starts to dilate the blood vessels that are in the muscles located at the lumbar spine. As the blood vessels dilate, there is an increase in the amount of nutrients and oxygen that flow into the lumbar muscles. This accelerates the healing of the damaged tissues.
A second way heat therapy relieves lower back pain is through the stimulation of the sensory receptors that are located on the skin. As the heat is applied on the affected parts, there is a decrease in pain signals being transmitted from the lower back as the skin will be already be signaling the brain. This decreases the amount of discomfort the patient is feeling.
Lastly, heat therapy functions to stretch the different types of soft tissues that are located in the lower back, such as muscles and connective tissue. As the soft tissues stretch, the patient experiences increased flexibility. This functions to decrease the discomfort caused by the back cramping up due to pain.
Chiropractic manipulation to relieve lower back pain
Chiropractic adjustments are another non-surgical method you could use to relieve back pain. The main aim of this type of treatment is to enhance the range of motion in your spine. Additionally, chiropractic manipulation also functions to decrease irritability in the nerves in your back while enhancing the overall function of your muscles. Chiropractic adjustments are different from massages in that the manipulation mainly comprises shirt arm thrusts applied on the affected area with high velocity. Regular treatment sessions will not only restore mobility, but also decrease pain and discomfort. Learn more by contacting a local chiropractor.