How to Manage Pain and Improve Mobility Without Surgery
If you suffer from persistent back pain, there are a number of treatments that may help. These include over-the-counter painkillers, ice packs, self-massage and physical therapy.
It’s also important to address lifestyle issues that can contribute to pain. This includes avoiding harmful habits like smoking, which can heighten pain and slow recovery.
Consider spine surgery for back pain if symptoms persist despite non-surgical treatments, medication fails, or pain significantly impacts daily life. Consult with La Clinica specialist for appropriate evaluation.
Talk to a Medical Professional
Often, pain management relies on a multi-pronged approach. That means you need to address both the physical and emotional aspects of your pain.
Pain is a protective mechanism that alerts the body of damage or danger. It can range from a dull ache to a sharp stab and can be felt in one area or all over the body. Pain can also change over time. It may become more or less intense, and you might have to adjust your daily activities accordingly.
If lifestyle changes and nonsurgical medical treatments aren’t helping your pain, you should consult an experienced professional. A highly trained medical professional will be able to offer advice on new coping strategies and help you find drug-free methods that can work for you.
Eat Right
A healthy diet can have a huge impact on pain management. Eliminating inflammatory foods like soda, processed sugar and red meat and eating more anti-inflammatory food such as tomatoes, green, leafy vegetables, nuts and olive oil may help reduce inflammation, ease achy joints and muscles, improve sleep quality, boost energy and more. Talk to a registered dietician for personalized advice.
Staying active is a big step in the right direction when it comes to managing back pain while waiting for surgery. It can help ease pain, strengthen muscles and improve flexibility and mobility.
If you’re unsure about how to safely and sensibly get started on moving your body, consult with the experts at Orthocenter located in Red Bank, Morganville, Holmdel and now Eatontown. Their physical therapists are specially trained to teach pain-relieving, low-impact exercises. They can also refer you for a nutritional specialist who can offer customized advice to support your health and recovery goals.
Move Your Body
Movement, activity and exercise are vital when it comes to managing pain and improving mobility. However, when pain is persistent (after tissues have healed) and central sensitization has developed, the body’s protective response can make moving a scary proposition. This is a big reason why a multi-prong approach to reducing pain is often most helpful:
Using the tools in our making sense of your pain module, it is possible to get back into moving your body again. If you are unsure how to start, consider working with a qualified health professional like an exercise physiologist or a physiotherapist who can guide, support and ‘coach’ you through the process.
Taking it slowly is important to avoid exacerbating painful tissues or creating a flare-up of pain and fatigue. Low-impact options, such as walking, swimming, tai chi, yoga and cycling are good starting points. A paced approach (as outlined in our pacing pain management module) can be a great way to help you get started and gradually build up your activity level.
Manage Your Stress
The body’s response to pain varies greatly based on biopsychosocial factors like genetics, emotions, beliefs, lifestyle habits, stress levels and overall physical and mental well-being. Medications may help reduce short-term symptoms, but they are often a feel-better, not a get-better strategy.
Distracting yourself from your pain with activities you enjoy or by finding healthy ways to release stress can also improve your quality of life. Exercise, spending time with friends, journaling or taking up a hobby are some great options.
Many people think that resting will ease pain, but too much rest can cause more damage to muscles, bones, joints and circulation. Too much rest may also make you more tense and exacerbate pain by sending more messages to the brain. Talk to a medical professional about safely re-starting regular, sensibly paced activity. Exercise can ease pain by blocking pain signals from the brain and stretching stiff, tight muscles. It can also decrease fatigue, aches and inflammation.
