• Change your mattress . If you have back pain only in the morning , you may want to look at your mattress . Buy a mattress that contours to your body or a memory foam cover to put over your current mattress . Avoid sleeping on couches and futons . But keep in mind that stiffness in the low back in the morning is common with arthritis . So , your mattress may not necessarily be the problem .
• Surgery . Spine surgery may be an option for someone who has a pinched nerve that causes radiating pain into the legs , especially if that pain has not responded to conservative treatment such as physical therapy and injections . We generally advise against surgery for low back pain unless there is clear pathology on imaging studies that is likely to be the source of back pain .
Steven Agabegi , MD
How Can Low Back Pain Be Treated ? Low back pain can be treated in a variety of ways . Treatment options may include :
• Physical therapy . Physical therapy is the mainstay of treating low back pain . This is usually the first treatment option that we recommend when we see a new patient with either acute low back pain or chronic low back pain .
• Chiropractic treatment . Chiropractic treatment can be helpful , especially for acute low back pain .
• Massage . Massage is another treatment option that can be very helpful for a lot of patients . But keep in mind that it ’ s probably not going to be a long-lasting treatment . Everybody feels better after a massage , but if you don ’ t address the underlying problems , which are usually muscle weakness and inactivity , massage is probably not going to give you long-term relief .
“ Physical therapy is the mainstay of treating low back pain .”
• Pain management and steroid injections . There are a lot of different types of injections that pain management doctors can administer , including trigger point injections and epidural steroid injections . Injections can be very helpful for those who have a pinched nerve , which can cause pain radiating to the leg . If you ’ ve tried everything to manage your lower back pain and nothing has helped , you may want to consult a pain management specialist about injections .
• Exercise and weight loss . The stress on your lower back and other weight-bearing joints like your hips , ankles , and knees is significantly increased if you are overweight . Aerobic exercise helps to improve blood flow and add oxygen to your tissues , including your lumbar muscles and lumbar spine in general . Brisk walking is a great form of aerobic exercise , as well as swimming and using elliptical machines and exercise bikes . Keep in mind that consistency is the key . Just a few minutes of exercise each day goes a long way .
Dr . Agabegi sees patients at the UPMC Outpatient Center on Pellis Road in Greensburg and UPMC at 600 Oxford Drive in Monroeville .
Learn more by visiting UPMC . com / Ortho .
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