The different methods to relieve back pain

With drugs

Being paralyzed by back pain (or fear of pain) is the bed of chronic low back pain . So, as soon as your back gets stuck and hurts, you do not hang around.
In self-medication, the first recommended analgesic is paracetamol (up to 3 g per day). Anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin or ibuprofen can be used . In addition to their analgesic effect, they block the action of an enzyme, Cox, involved in the cascade of reactions leading to inflammation and pain. Their disadvantage: poor digestive tolerance . Do not abuse it. If it is not better after a week, do not hesitate to consult .
Finally, if the pain in the back is very strong from the outset or increases (for example for a vertebral collapse or a pain starting from the cervical ones up to the arm), the doctor deploys the treatment of shock: analgesics containing morphine , take 1 to 2 weeks to turn off the pain. Note: when the muscles are very contracted, which amplifies the pain, the doctor can add to the prescription of muscle relaxants to relax them . But they should not be used for more than 2 weeks due to their "sleeping effect" effect.

Gentle methods to relieve back pain

With heat

Under the effect of heat, the blood vessels dilate, which promotes the elimination of toxins trapped in the muscles , responsible for pain and contractures. To try for the small " turns of the kidneys " or torticollis . Our selection: the heating patches (SyntholKine, Hansaplast, Mercurochrome ...), the heat of which diffuses during 8 hours approximately. Another option: the infrared lamp which slightly raises the temperature of the target area (from 24 € on www.celyatis.com or www.kiria.com or www.laboutiquedudos.com ).

With homeopathy, I can relieve back pain

Some homeopathic medicines can help reduce back pain. Thus, after an unusual or forced effort, Arnica montana 9 CH can be taken (3 granules 3 times a day). If you feel very stiff or the pain is lodged in the lower back, at the lumbar level, it is rather Rhus toxicodendron 5 CH (3 granules 3 times a day). Finally, for those who are often leaning forward because, working seated, the pain is lodged rather between the shoulder blades, the most suitable drug is Actea racemosa 9 CH (3 granules 3 times a day).
When pain starts, it is best to consult a homeopathic doctor to adjust the treatment.

With plants

Many can be used against back pain. The white willow (Salix alba) is then chosen as a dietary supplement for its analgesic effect . It contains salicin, one of the natural components of aspirin. It is used especially in sciatic pain , starting from the lower back and radiating into one leg. Another analgesic plant to be used this time in external compresses: the Cayenne pepper (Capsicum frutescens), containing capsaicin with recognized painkilling action (for sale in a pharmacy). Finally, the devil's claw (Harpagophytum procumbens) as a dietary supplement is known for its anti-inflammatory effect and is particularly suitable when osteoarthritis is the source of pain.

And when back pain really persists, are there more radical solutions?

The infiltrations

The principle: inject cortisone, super anti-inflammatory , in the very heart of the painful area.
If a specific cause has been found and the pain is resistant to conventional drugs, this one-time treatment can provide real relief and help unblock the situation. "The aim is to treat the underlying problem: inflammation, not pain, which is relieved by analgesics," explains Dr. Maigne.
The relief is not immediate, it appears after a few days . In general, one to three infiltrations suffice. But in about a third of cases, infiltration does not work. It is not necessary to start again.

Back surgery, who is it for?

Today, back surgery is mainly for people with herniated discs : the vertebral discs pinch a part of a nerve, often sciatica , which goes down in the leg. Most of the time, this hernia regresses spontaneously but, in about 5% of cases, it becomes necessary to surgically remove all or part of the disc responsible for compression . The operation requires only an incision of 2 to 4 cm (against 10 to 15 formerly). A video screen allows the surgeon to perfectly center his gesture and almost no longer touch the muscles. Result: the after-effects are much less heavy, we recover quickly and better. If the indications are well laid and weighed, back surgery results in relief in 80% of cases .