If you have back pain that will not go away, and you and your doctor are working on the best solution for you, you have to think about back pain management. This is what you are going to do until your back has been fixed through surgery, or made better through physical therapy. Some types of pain go away over time, but you may need help until that point comes. Because there are so many problems with medications that are narcotics, you have to have a good plan in place to stay comfortable until a more permanent solution is in place and you are feeling better on your own.
It can be hard to talk to a doctor about back pain management if you have not gone through the proper steps to find out what is going on with your back. If you have muscles in spasm, you probably need short term pain management until the spasm ends and you have gone through some store of physical therapy to make sure it does not happen again. Short term pain is much easier to treat, and as long as you follow instructions by your doctor, you should not need help for very long.
The problem with long term back pain management is that there are plenty of folks out there that use back pain as an excuse to get medications that they can sell or that they use to get high. It is important that you and your doctor keep in good, clear communication so that you are getting what you need. It is hard to talk about back pain because so many people fake it. Be clear about how you are feeling, what you need, and even how the medications are making you feel. Stand up for your rights and make it clear you are not a drug seeker. If a doctor treats you as one, find another doctor.
Back pain management is going to change as time goes on. If your pain is less, you need less mediation. Some back problems get progressively worse, so you should see your doctor as often as they wish to monitor what type of medication that you need. If narcotics are what your doctor wants you to take, you won't get refills. Instead, you are going to have to call in when you need more, and you are going to have to go in to see your doctor on a regular basis. It is not fair to you, but that is the price of so many drug seekers making it harder for anyone to be trusted.
Other than medications, there are other things that you can do for back pain management. This type of thing might be exercise or even advice on where to sit, how long to sit, and when to get up and move. It should also include advice on what body motions are going to make things worse and which ones are okay. Your doctor may also give you weight restrictions, which means you may not be able to pick up things that you normally easily lift. If your job is a problem, you have to talk to them after talking to your doctor. You never want to make things worse by doing the wrong things.