Treatment Choices And Considerations: Back Pain
Content provided by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School
Treatment choices and considerations
A number of options exist for managing low back pain, ranging from doing little to undergoing invasive surgery. But the abundance of choices provides as much reason for caution as cause for celebration. Nearly as many different therapies and so-called cures exist as there are practitioners.
Keep several things in mind before deciding on a course of treatment. First, identifying the type of back disorder you suffer from is the first — and probably most important — step in finding how best to treat it (see "Why does your back hurt?"). Although options abound, not all are appropriate for your specific back problem.
Second, whether you're experiencing back pain for the first time or you've suffered a relapse, it's important to seek the advice of an experienced, certified, and well-recommended health specialist. You could visit an internist, family practitioner, orthopedist, rheumatologist, neurologist, neurosurgeon, or physiatrist (see "It takes a team").
It takes a teamOften people see more than one type of practitioner to alleviate back pain, starting with a generalist and then seeking more specific types of help. Here's a quick guide to the type of clinicians you might encounter. Physicians Primary care physician: Trained in general medicine, internal medicine, or family practice; makes referrals to specialists as necessary. Neurologist: Focuses on treatment of the nerves and nervous system. Neurosurgeon: Provides surgical care of nerve-related problems. Orthopedist: Diagnoses and treats problems of the skeletal system and its muscles, joints, and ligaments. Osteopath: Has training similar to that of an M.D., but with an emphasis on the musculoskeletal system and the body's ability to heal itself. Physiatrist: Specializes in rehabilitation. Rheumatologist: Specializes in the treatment of rheumatic diseases (those affecting the joints, muscles, bones, skin, and other tissues), some of which can affect the back. Other professionals Chiropractor: Trained in manipulation of the bones and joints, including those in the spine. Physical therapist: Focuses on exercises and other rehabilitative techniques to restore function and mobility. |
Finally, it's important to be an active participant in your care. This means being as informed as possible about the risks and benefits of the various management strategies you are considering for your particular back problem. You also need to be very clear about what it is you want from treatment. Perhaps you are not someone who wants to hike up a mountain, but you do want to go on that long-awaited trip and enjoy the view from the top of the Eiffel Tower.
And don't be afraid to question advice on occasion. If a health professional recommends an invasive, experimental, or very expensive treatment, consider seeking a second opinion from a physician who specializes in the type of treatment being recommended.
| Last updated: | January 23, 2007 |
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Medical content reviewed by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School. Harvard Health Publications, Copyright © 2007 by President and Fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Used with permission of StayWell.
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