What treatment options are available for chronic back pain?
June 18, 2023 | 30,00 EUR | answered by Yvonne König
Dear Doctor,
My name is Jenny Tiefental and I have been suffering from chronic back pain for several years. The pain mainly occurs in the lumbar spine area and is increasingly affecting my daily life. I have already tried various therapies, including physiotherapy, massages, and pain medication, but with limited success.
I am very concerned about how to deal with these persistent pains and whether there may be other treatment options that could provide relief. I wonder if there are alternative therapies such as acupuncture or chiropractic that could help me, or if surgery should be considered.
It weighs heavily on me that the pain greatly affects my work and leisure activities. I would like to live pain-free again and would therefore like to know from you what other treatment options are available for chronic back pain. Are there new therapies or medications that could help me? How can I improve my quality of life and reduce the pain in the long term?
I would be very grateful for your professional assessment and possible recommendations for further steps. Thank you in advance for your help.
Sincerely,
Jenny Tiefental
Dear Jenny Tiefental,
I thank you for your trust and your open words regarding your chronic back pain. I am sorry to hear that you are suffering from these pains and that your daily life is greatly affected. It is understandable that you are worried and looking for further treatment options to find relief.
In relation to your chronic back pain in the lumbar spine area, there are indeed various therapeutic approaches that could help you. One possibility could be acupuncture, a traditional Chinese therapy in which thin needles are placed at specific points on the body to relieve pain. Many patients report positive experiences with acupuncture for back pain.
Chiropractic care could also be an option for you. This treatment method involves targeted manipulations of the spine to correct misalignments and reduce pain. It is important that you consult with a qualified chiropractor to avoid potential risks.
Another option could be conservative therapy, which you have already tried with limited success. In some cases, a multimodal therapy may be beneficial, combining different approaches such as physiotherapy, pain medication, relaxation techniques, and back training.
If these conservative therapies are not sufficiently effective, in rare cases surgery may be considered. However, a thorough diagnostic evaluation and consultation with a specialist in orthopedics or neurosurgery are essential.
There are also newer treatment approaches such as radiofrequency ablation, where nerve endings in the lumbar spine area are destroyed through targeted heat treatment to relieve pain. Novel medications such as antibodies against certain inflammatory substances could also be an option for you.
It is important that you seek comprehensive advice from a specialist in orthopedics or a pain therapist to find the suitable treatment option for you. An individualized therapy tailored to your specific situation can help improve your quality of life and reduce pain in the long term.
I hope that my information is helpful to you and supports you on your path to effective pain management. Do not hesitate to ask further questions or seek a personal consultation with a specialist.
Best regards,
Yvonne König, Specialist in Internal Medicine
