Doctors are now prescribing non-medical pain management techniques for low back pain, such as yoga and meditation

People are less tolerant to pain nowadays, and it’s significantly reducing global productivity and adding more weight on opioid dependency. Lower back pain (LBP) is one of these intolerable pains that plague urban inhabitants. It is the leading cause of disability and is also the second most common reason for seeking medical attention. However, going to your family doctor for help may no longer result in prescriptions and medication.

The U.K. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence as well as the American College of Physicians have set new clinical guidelines for medical professionals’ practices on primary care management of LBP. These guidelines encourage doctors and other medical experts to look towards other methods of dealing with pain besides prescribing paracetamol and other anti-inflammatory drugs. Instead of these medicines, general practitioners would now suggest non-medicinal and other rehabilitative methods such as yoga, mindfulness, physiotherapy, and psychological therapies.

As long as doctors continue to prescribe pain medication, the opioid crisis will only worsen. Substance abuse and overdoses from these unnecessary medications are only creating more reliance on laboratory-produced medicines, since it typically addresses the pains and sicknesses promptly. However, it is not at all beneficial for people since these drugs cause a lot of side effects and some even cause chronic diseases when taken on a regular basis.

Other invasive treatments such as injections and surgery are highly discouraged as well, because it increases the population’s dependency on quick medication over prevention. If the individual is experiencing LBP only recently, doctors may suggest to remain physically active, and try other methods such as heat relief and massage. For longer term diagnosis of LBP, yoga, exercise, and mindfulness would now be suggested. Severe cases of back pain may be recommended for chiropractic spinal manipulation, acupuncture, and other physical rehabilitation programs.

The set guidelines may result in changes globally, however, it will not be immediate. People are so used to taking medicines in order to address pain and disease instead of practicing natural and healthy lifestyles for prevention and health management. The suggested methods for addressing LBP may be healthy and natural, but are also currently very expensive. The lack of chiropractic professionals and nutrition specialists result in expensive consultations and treatments. The health insurance firms in the U.S. currently do not include such practices in their policies, and may slow down the progress of the medical renaissance.

But there is an upside to this. People are now being informed of the benefits of healthy living, including good nutrition and regular physical activity, which would reduce the global reliance on doctors and pharmaceuticals. A health revolution is currently underway, and more families are becoming aware of the health risks of processed food and other negative aspects of a sedentary lifestyle. Even medical experts acknowledge the benefits of natural health as a means to overall well-being. The high price tags of natural health practices will certainly go down in the near future, especially since a lot of people are becoming interested in its plethora of benefits. Furthermore, regular people or non-medical individuals may be able to achieve wellness and health, even without medical consultation.

If you are experiencing lower back pain, you may want to try out these tips:

• Stretch and exercise at least three to four times per week.
• Get enough sleep at the right time.
• Use cold therapy to reduce inflammation, and hot compress to relieve pain.
• Pain is only a sensation that is magnified by your thoughts. Train your brain to reduce or ignore these signs to influence a significant reduction in discomfort.
• Find activities that distract you from the pain and keep you happy.

Sources include:

ScienceDaily.com

Spine-Health.com