After developing spine-related symptoms, whether caused by injury or an underlying condition, patients can reduce how intense symptoms are by temporarily changing the way they do daily activities.
Nonsurgical Options
Activity Modification
Acupuncture
Acupuncture describes a family of procedures involving the stimulation of anatomical points on the body using a variety of techniques.
Alternative Treatments
More Americans are looking beyond Western medicine to help relieve their back, neck, and spinal joint pain, including osteoarthritis of the spine.
Aquatic Therapy
Aquatic Therapy is a viable option for rehabilitation of spinal issues from low back pain, degenerative disc disease, surgeries and fusions.
Bone Growth Stimulation
Bone growth stimulation (BGS) is a therapy your surgeon may prescribe following a spinal fusion procedure.
Chiropractic
A chiropractor can use many different techniques to relieve pain, including applied pressure, massage, and hands-on manipulation (adjustment) of the vertebrae and joints.
Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic care includes spinal manipulation and non-manipulative therapies, such as electrical muscle stimulation, massage therapy, and ultrasound.
Chiropractic – A Conversation With Dr. Jordan Gliedt, DC
Chiropractic is a health care discipline concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system and the effects of these disorders on the function of the nervous system and general health.
Directional Exercises
Directional exercises are a unique treatment for those patients with neck (NP) or low back pain (LBP) found to have a "directional preference."
Drugs and Medications
Certain drugs are used to treat specific types of pain and its causes, such as inflammation or muscle spasms.
Electrothermal Modalities
These methods of treatment are used to alter soft tissue temperatures or to influence subcutaneous cellular activity to enhance vascularity, tissue flexibility and local nutrition.
Epidural Steroid Injections
Epidural Steroid Injections (ESIs) are a common method of treating inflammation associated with low back related leg pain, or neck related arm pain.
Ergonomic Changes
“Ergonomics” refers to the manner in which individuals use their bodies to perform home- and work-related tasks.
How to Manage an Acute Back or Neck Pain Episode
Managing acute back or neck pain flare-ups are a challenge faced by the majority of the population at one point or another.
Hydrotherapy
The technical definition of hydrotherapy is the application of water for the treatment of physical or psychological dysfunction.
Ice or Heat?
Cold and heat therapy can alleviate pain, but how do you know which one to use and when?
Injections
Spinal injections can be very helpful for patients looking for pain relief without surgery.
Lumbar Zygapophysial (Facet) Joint Injections
Zygapophysial joints (also known as facet joints or z-joints) are located on the back (posterior) of the spine on each side where two adjacent vertebrae meet.
Manual Therapy
Many clinicians including osteopathic physicians, chiropractors, physical therapists and massage therapists have undergone specialized training to develop the skill-sets to evaluate and treat patients with spinal disorders using various hands-on techniques.
Medications
Medications can play a useful role in patients with spine pain when used in conjunction with rehabilitation, spinal injections, and/or surgery.
Mental & Emotional Therapy
Living with chronic back or neck pain can lead to depression, feelings of stress, anxiety, sadness, and other mental health-related symptoms.
Pain Management
A pain medicine specialist is a medical or osteopathic doctor who treats pain caused by disease, disorder, or trauma.
Physical Therapy
Poor strength might be a contributing factor to the development of a spine-related disorder if the demands placed on the spine exceed a patient’s strength capacities.
Physical Therapy for Prevention
Physical therapy is effective in improving balance, reducing falls, controlling osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and neck and low back pain.
Postural Training
Environmental loads, stresses, and strains (associated with gravity, or even the furniture you rest on) can be balanced and contained by optimal posturing.
Sleep Is Therapeutic
Chronic pain can cause mental and emotional issues, and its complex nature can come between you and a good night’s sleep.
Spinal Bracing
A spinal brace may be prescribed by your doctor to help stabilize one or more levels of your spine, stop or control spinal movement, lift pressure off an area of the spine, help prevent re-injury while you heal, and relieve pain.
Spinal Cord Simulation
Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has become a standard of care for people with chronic back and neck pain.
Spine Cancer Care
Early diagnosis and treatment of spinal cancer is essential to care.
Traction
Regardless of the equipment used, the purpose of traction is to decompress neurovascular structures by separating vertebral segments through the progressive application of a pulling force.
Watchful Waiting and Education
Spine-related conditions and injuries can create symptoms such as pain, burning and tightness, to name a few.