A spinal procedure can be incredibly effective at helping you find relief from your underlying condition, but because no surgery goes perfectly every single time, and because an operation is a physical trauma on your body, most spine specialists will try to pursue other treatment methods before recommending surgery. At the same time, a spine specialist isn’t going to waste time pushing for certain conservative options if they don’t believe that they will be effective. So what are some of the more effective non-operative treatment options for spine issues? We explore some of the conservative treatments that we recommend most in today’s blog.
Which Non-Operative Spine Treatments Are Best?
Regardless of which treatment path you take, it’s imperative to connect with a specialist to figure out the right treatment for you. We’re going to touch on some of the more common non-operative treatments that oftentimes prove successful, but there’s no guarantee that they will work for you. Spine pain is highly individualized, and treatment needs to be individualized as well. With that said, here’s a look at some treatment techniques that may help you avoid surgery for your spine issue.
- Physical Therapy – Physical therapy is likely the most effective type of treatment for mild to moderate spinal issues. PT works by strengthening key structures and the tissues that support your spinal complex. When your spine is better equipped to handle the stress that you throw at it, important tissues are less likely to be injured during activity. Physical therapy can also help to restore mobility and overall function in the wake of an injury. A physical therapy regimen is a common treatment to help a person avoid surgery, but it can also be used after an operation to ensure they restore as much function as possible.
- Low-Impact Exercise – Rest is a great treatment option in the short-term, but for many individuals, they’ll see more progress by pursuing some low-impact exercises 24-72 hours after spine pain develops. Similar to physical therapy, exercise works by strengthening structures and getting healthy blood pumping to crucial areas of your spine, promoting optimal tissue development and function. You just need to be careful not to overload your spine with exercise when it is in a weakened state, which is why low-impact exercises like walking, swimming or cycling are often recommended.
- Posture Improvements – Poor posture can exacerbate an underlying condition or make it hard for you to fully recover from an issue, so oftentimes a spine specialist will work with a patient to adjust their posture position. Simple tweaks to improve your spinal alignment can greatly change how stress is dispersed along your spine and keep certain areas from wearing down faster than others. Changing your posture probably won’t be able to correct your spinal issue by itself, but improving your posture can be an effective part of a comprehensive treatment plan.
- Medications – Medications are unlikely to provide total relief on their own, but that doesn’t mean they should be discounted as a viable treatment option. Medications like muscle relaxers or anti-inflammatories can help to ease physical discomfort, making it easier for you to pursue more active treatments like physical therapy and exercise. As we’ve said before though, medications tend to become less effective the longer you take them, and they can be addictive, so only take medications as recommended by your treating physician.
- Spinal Injection – A final treatment technique that may help you avoid the need for surgery is a spinal injection. An injection allows a provider to deliver medication directly to the injured area, increasing the effectiveness of the medication. They can provide weeks or months of pain relief, but the effects of the injection will fade, so like other options on the list, an injection should be paired with other techniques for best results.
If we believe it can be done, we’ll do everything in our power to help you avoid surgery and make a full recovery through conservative means. For more information on how we’ll work to do this, or for answers to questions that you have about back pain, reach out to Dr. Sinicropi and the team at The Midwest Spine & Brain Institute today at (651) 430-3800.
