Conventional treatment methods for back pain patients are a large healthcare expense. Some conventional approaches focus only on the symptoms rather than the primary source of the pain. Once the source of the back pain is corrected, a patient may experience long-term relief. The following types of treatment methods are the most commonly used.

Occasionally, bed rest is prescribed for back pain patients. The downfall of this treatment method is that patients may be more likely to develop depression and experience other negative effects.

Another common treatment method for back pain is physical therapy. Certain exercises can improve the general function and strength of the spine, but may not address the primary cause of a patient's back pain.

Oral and injectable pain medications will normally function by temporarily decreasing inflammation, muscle spasm and pain. This treatment method will only alleviate symptoms, but seldom does it deal with the primary cause of pain.

One treatment method introduced over 2,500 years ago is called acupuncture. It is a form of treatment where by needles are inserted into various parts of the body, such as in ankles, knees, or fingers for the treatment of back pain.

A treatment method that attempts to correct the primary source of back pain is surgery. Some patients report significant relief of pain after surgery, but the risks involved make this option a last resort for many.

A commonly used technique is called traction. Manual traction can be performed by a therapist, utilizing their weight to change both the force and direction of pull. Auto traction is when the patient controls the traction forces by grabbing and pulling on the end of the traction table. There are other forms of traction available such as bed rest traction, underwater and gravitational traction.

A relatively new treatment method for the relief of chronic low back pain is called non-surgical spinal decompression. A highly recognized device called the DRX9000 True Non-surgical Spinal Decompression System™ is designed to provide pain relief for compressive and degenerative injuries of the spine. Through the application of spinal decompressive forces to these injuries, patients have found relief from their back pain problems.

While back pain is a common and debilitating condition, patients today have more treatment options than ever before.

This article is not intended nor should be used as a substitute for professional medical advice. Consult your physician before considering any medical treatment method available.