Low Back Pain Health Article

Homeopathy

Homeopathic treatment for acute back pain consists of various applications of Arnica (Arnica montana); as an oil or gel applied topically to the sore area or oral doses alone or in prepackaged combination products including other homeopathic such as St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum), Rhus tox (Rhus toxicodendron) and Ruta (Ruta graveolens). Bellis perennis may be recommended for deep muscle injuries. Other remedies may be recommended based on the symptoms presented by the patient.

Body work and yoga

Massage and the numerous other body work techniques can be very effective in treating low back pain. Yoga, practiced regularly and done properly, can be combined with meditation or imagery to both treat and prevent future episodes of low back pain.

Allopathic treatment

All forms of treatment of low back pain are aimed either at symptom relief or to prevent interference with the processes of healing. None of these methods appear to speed up healing.

Acute pain

Acute back pain is treated with muscle relaxantsor nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen or aspirin. Applications of compresses using heat or cold also can be helpful to some patients. Patients are recommended by one source, do not worry, and to stay active. Acute LBP often resolves within a short time. Some patients may be prescribed opiod analgesics (pain relievers with codeine or codeine similars), however, statistics demonstrate no shortening of the healing period, as noted above. The use of muscle relaxants may increase risk of further damage, but they have been shown to be more effective than placebo (though no better than NSAIDS alone) in relieving acute pain. If the patient has not experienced some improvement after several weeks of treatment, the doctor will reinvestigate the cause of the pain.

Expected results

The prognosis for most patients with acute low back pain is excellent. About 80% of patients recover completely in 4–6 weeks. The prognosis for recovery from chronic pain depends on the underlying cause.