Nonsurgical spine pain management

Staying positive is hard to do when dealing with pain. The human body does a wonderful job at healing itself, and more than 80% of back/neck issues get better on their own (without surgery). But during the healing process, pain can affect our work, our home life, and our hobbies and recreation.

If you have underlying anxiety, depression or feel as though the recovery is taking its toll on your emotions, please reach out to your PCP to discuss. These conditions can impact your pain and your recovery.  

Here at the Spine Center, we know posture is important but recognize it doesn’t have to be perfect. In fact, there is no “perfect posture” for everyone to be in. The truth is, the longer you stay in one position, the more likely you are to feel that kink in your neck or feel your back get more sore. Bodies prefer changing position regularly, so listen to yours, and remember “your next position is your BEST position.”

If you are in pain, listen to your body and minimize the time spent in positions that increase your pain or try new variations of posture and positioning that can help in the short term.  

Pain can affect sleep and lack of sleep can affect pain. Patients who are chronically sleep deprived are at a greater risk of having a higher pain sensitivity.

Simply put, poor sleep means higher pain. You can talk to your PCP about sleep habits, or you may find benefit from working with a counselor or psychologist to improve sleep habits through the use of CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy).

Being overweight or obese can put individuals at a higher risk for low-back pain and neck pain. Some of this is due to increased stress on the spine, but also due to lifestyle factors that make one more susceptible to developing pain (sedentary, sleep, stress, increased inflammation).

While we should all strive for a healthy weight and body composition, we understand it can be very difficult to achieve. Working with your PCP to coordinate a dietician/nutritionist, therapist, psychologist, and a spine specialist can work to improve the many areas to help with pain reduction, weight reduction and improving your quality of life.

Nicotine use is a major predictor of neck and back pain. Current smokers experience lower pain thresholds (feel pain quicker) and are more likely to have sciatica-like symptoms (pain that travels down legs).

Nicotine limits circulation to your spinal cord, disks and nerves, which can limit healing and bringing nutrients to help keep them working properly. In addition, nicotine can weaken your bones and tissues, leading to delayed healing if you do get injured. We encourage all patients to cut back or abstain from nicotine use to help in their recovery whether they have surgery or not.

Bed rest used to be recommended for people when new, unexpected pain set in. More recent research has shown that those who can stay active after an injury will improve quicker. This does not mean fighting through pain — modify how much you do, but try to stay active. Think of it as being “mobile but mindful.”

There are lots of ways to exercise that can help your pain. Research backs up walking, lifting weight, doing core training, stretching, yoga, tai chi etc. Do what feels comfortable and monitor your pain during and after. 

Exercising with pain is a lot like showering after a sunburn. You still need to rinse off and get clean, so you adjust the water temperature and find what feels more comfortable. Moving after an injury is the same. It may hurt at first, but you can find something that feels more comfortable. You may slowly increase over time to back where you were before injury. 

When it comes to exercise and pain, sedentary people are at a higher risk of developing neck and/or back pain compared to those who are active. Working with a physical therapist can help you find ways to stay active or get active and protect yourself against future episodes of low-back or neck pain. 

These can help for pain control. There is no evidence to say ice is better than heat or vice-versa. If they provide relief, even temporarily, they are an excellent inexpensive option. 

Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result is frustrating. Tracking your activity is a wonderful way to see what you can do well and also recognize what may cause a flare-up. Use a journal or app to track what you do in a day as well as your pain levels. 

When you track it, you can change it! This is something a physical therapist can really help you with to improve your quality of life — figure out where your body is, then find exercises and positions to help improve your activities.

Massage and manual therapy have their place in helping you feel better. They can improve your pain levels temporarily and should be paired with an active movement plan. Research shows a combined approach of manual therapy and exercise can provide excellent outcomes for pain and improved quality of life in people with neck and back issues. 

There are a variety of medications that can help in both the short and long term. Your primary care provider or spine specialist will discuss these with you throughout your recovery. Some medications work well for some people, other times they do not. You may need to try different medications or combinations to see what works best for you. Always discuss risks/side effects with your provider as well.