Why You Should Seek Early Treatment for Pain in the Lumbar Spine?

The lumbar spine is the lower region of the back, specifically, the bottom five vertebrae of the spine. Thirty one million people are affected by back pain at any given time, with one half of all working Americans reporting that they have back symptoms each year. With eight out of ten people stating that they’ve suffered from pain in the back at some point in their lives, it’s a condition that should be addressed as soon as possible for the quickest relief. Lower back pain appears to be the most prevalent, with numerous conditions causing the pain. Lumbar disc herniation (LDH), or a slipped disc, is the most common diagnostic outcome for people with lumbar spine pain.
Early Treatment is Essential
A study presented at the American Academy for Orthopedic Surgeons last year revealed that patients with lumbar spine pain will respond much better to treatment, whether surgical or non-surgical, if they seek medical help in the first six months. When the condition does not respond to home care such as rest, hot and cold packs, over the counter pain relievers and stretching, and is not addressed by a physician in the first ten days to two weeks, the pain can become much worse, and begin to radiate down to the buttocks and legs.
Treatment for Pain in the Lumbar Spine
Some of the treatments that could bring about success in treatment include physical therapy, radiofrequency, steroid injections and pain blockers, spinal cord stimulation or dekompressor discectomy. During physical therapy, ultrasound, soft tissue and joint mobilization, Electro Therapeutic Point Stimulation (ETPS) or Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) units and traction may be employed to relieve pain. Therapists can also offer advice on body mechanics to assure the patient is moving through the day correctly, as well as assign exercises to strengthen the muscles around the lumbar spine. Since lower back pain frequently appears in individuals in their 30s and 40s, the PT can be very effective.
If surgery is recommended after the non-surgical techniques have been unsuccessful, there are a couple of options. Minimally invasive spine surgery will be the most welcomed by the patient and the physician, with less risk and quicker recovery times. A discectomy will remove the herniated disc and spinal fusion will join the vertebrae with bone tissue so that the disc is not missed. Another option is artificial disc replacement.
Diagnosing the Pain
To be effective in any treatment of lumbar spine pain, it should be diagnosed correctly. Whether a patient is seen at an orthopedic surgeon’s office or a pain management specialist, these physicians will have the tools or the resources to use MRI, CAT scans, electromyogram (EMG) and discography, as well as the understanding of the musculoskeletal system to analyze the condition and treat it.
Seek Early Treatment
The results of the aforementioned study of 927 patients who had LDH symptoms for less than six months and 265 patients who had it for longer, the patients who had symptoms longer fared much worse outcomes on both surgical and non-surgical treatment options. Also revealed in the study was that those that chose the surgical treatment had advantages over those with non-surgical treatment. When pain of the lumbar spine is apparent, the best solution is to seek immediate pain management.