Lower Back Pain That Won’t Quit? Try These 3 Proven Approaches

Lower back pain that won’t quit is frustrating and disruptive. Whether it’s a dull ache that lingers or a sharp shooting pain that flares up anytime you shift positions, all you want is relief. 

At Orthopedic & Wellness in Germantown, Frederick, and Waldorf, Maryland, our pain management and orthopedic experts, Dr. Ojedapo Ojeyemi and Dr. Matthew Roh, understand your frustration, and we can help. We create personalized plans based on the cause of your pain and your response to treatment.

Though no single method works for everyone, we’re highlighting three proven approaches here that we commonly use with our patients to help relieve chronic lower back pain. 

1. Strengthening the core

Your spine plays a major role in supporting the weight of your upper body, particularly your lower back. But it doesn’t do the job alone. Your core muscles do some of the work, too, including your:

• Back muscles
• Abdominal muscles
• Buttocks
• Hip flexors
• Pelvic floor muscles

Together, these muscles help stabilize the spine and support the trunk of your body. When you have weak core muscles, the spine carries more weight, potentially worsening back pain. 

Studies show that core strengthening exercises may provide more spine stability, decreasing pain and increasing function. At Orthopedic & Wellness, we may refer you to a physical therapist for a customized exercise plan to improve core strength and back health.

2. Treatments that reduce inflammation

Inflammation is part of your body’s natural healing process. But inflammation may also cause pain. Herniated discs, arthritis, and sciatica are common causes of lower back pain. They may also cause inflammation, exacerbating the discomfort.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a first-line treatment for lower back pain — they work by reducing inflammation. Icing also reduces the swelling that may come with inflammation to ease pain.

In addition to taking NSAIDs, early research shows that modifying your diet may also help with inflammation and pain. 

Highly processed foods increase production of inflammatory agents, while nutrient-dense foods lower their production. Instead of hamburgers and french fries, eat salmon and roasted vegetables. 

Eating a balanced diet may also help with weight management. Getting to a healthy weight also helps with back pain.

3. Interventional pain management

When traditional proven approaches for managing lower back pain don’t work, we may try interventional pain management. These treatments focus on finding and treating the source of your pain and may include:

• Corticosteroid injections
• Epidural injections
• Nerve blocks
• Radiofrequency ablation
• Spinal cord stimulation

While these approaches work, they may not help everyone, or you may need a combination of treatments to get the best results. Our experienced team can help you find the approach that works best for your lower back pain.

Persistent lower back pain can hamper your quality of life, but you don’t have to live with the discomfort. Call today or book an appointment online to set up a consultation.