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Treatment options for back pain
By Mayo Clinic staffBecause chronic nonspecific back pain may result from several factors — physical, psychological and social — treatment often involves a multifaceted approach or an approach using multiple interventions.
Emphasis on improving function
The most important aspect of chronic nonspecific back pain is how it impacts your ability to function in your daily life. So, although it's important to reduce pain, the emphasis of the treatment isn't only on eliminating the pain, but on improving your ability to function as much as possible in your usual activities. As well as reducing pain and improving function, goals of treatment include giving you skills to self-manage your pain and avoiding adverse side effects of treatment.
Starting with a conservative approach
Treatment options include a variety of conservative approaches such as medications, exercise and physical therapy, and counseling, or they include more-aggressive approaches such as surgery. However, because nonspecific back pain often improves on its own or with conservative approaches, that's where you and your doctor will likely first focus your efforts. You'll likely reserve discussion of surgery or other more-invasive procedures for later consideration.
