Back pain is a leading cause of disability. According to a Georgetown University publication, some 16 million adults experience persistent or chronic back pain and as a
result are limited in certain everyday activities.
Usually back pain will improve with home treatment and self-care such as bed rest, applying ice/heat, and stretching. However, when pain persists, you should make an appointment with the Spine Clinic.
Chronic back pain (pain that continues for 12 weeks or longer) is physically debilitating, and can lead to emotional and mental stress. But, there is no need to suffer. Most back
pain does not require surgery, and there are many options for pain relief through conservative treatments.
Medication
When treating chronic lower back pain, we will often prescribe a medication regimen taking into consideration each patients precise needs after analyzing the severity, period
of pain and medical history. The main aim of prescribing medications is to reduce inflammation and pain, thereby increasing the patients overall functionality.
Physical Therapy
Patients suffering from most types of low back pain are often referred for physical therapy for a minimum of four weeks as an initial conservative (nonsurgical) treatment
option before considering other more aggressive treatments, including spine interventions (injections/surgical consultation). The overall goals of physical therapy
are to decrease back pain, increase function, and teach the patient a maintenance program to prevent future back problems. Often times with the aid of this modality, back
pain ceases and the patient can return to normal daily activities.
Braces
Braces offer an effective, non-invasive method to relieve pain and promote healing of the back.
Injections
Injection of certain medicinal agents relieves the pain by blocking the nerve signals between specific areas of the body and the brain. The treatment approach involves
injections of local anesthetics and/or steroids targeting the affected soft tissues, joints, or nerve roots.
Nerve Blocks
A spinal nerve block is the injection of an anesthetic and/or steroid medication around the spinal nerve root to diagnose and treat pain. Spinal nerve blocks are indicated to not
only diagnose the underlying cause, but also to relieve pain, weakness, numbness and tingling sensations in your neck, back, and extremities due to nerve injuries such as
pinched nerves or narrowing of the spinal column (stenosis).
When spine pain does not improve with home treatments and self-care, it is time to make an appointment for an evaluation. Through conservative treatments, one can often find relief from spine pain without the need for surgery.
Dr. Doug Beacham III, DO is a fellowshipped-trained, dual-board certified physician in the fields of Anesthesiology and Pain Management (American Board of Anesthesiology). He has practiced in Oklahoma since 2013, and currently serves on the board of directors for the Oklahoma Pain Society. Dr. Beacham is proud to offer Oklahomans the most advanced and effective techniques capable of treating a full spectrum of acute and chronic conditions.
