low back pain treatment Relief of back pain: Ergonomic chair or Swiss ball?

Diagnosis
The doctor will examine your back and assess your ability to sit, stand, walk and lift your legs. The doctor can also ask you to rate the pain on a scale of 0 to 10 and talk about the effectiveness with which you work with the pain.
These tests help determine where the pain comes from, how much you can move until the pain forces you to stop and if you have muscle spasms. They can also help rule out more serious causes of back pain.

If there is a reason to suspect that a specific disorder is causing back pain, the doctor may request a test or more:
X-rays These images show the alignment of the bones and if you have arthritis or broken bones. By themselves, they will not show problems in the spinal cord, muscles, nerves or discs.
Computed tomography or magnetic resonance scan. These scans generate images that may reveal disc herniation or problems in the bones, muscles, tissues, tendons, nerves, ligaments and blood vessels.
Blood test. These can help determine if you have an infection or other disorder that may be causing the pain.
Bone scan Rarely, the doctor may perform a bone scan to detect bone tumors or compression fractures caused by osteoporosis.
Studies of the nerves. Electromyography measures the electrical impulses produced by the nerves and the responses of the muscles. This test can confirm nerve compression caused by disc herniation or narrowing of the spinal canal (spinal stenosis).
Treatment
Most severe back pain improves in a few weeks of home treatment. However, all people are different and back pain is a complex condition. For many people, the pain persists for quite some time, but only some have intense and permanent pain.
For severe back pain, perhaps all you need are over-the-counter pain relievers and the application of heat. Rest in bed is not recommended.
Continue your activities as long as you tolerate them. Try soft activities, such as walking or activities of daily living. Suspend the activity that increases the pain but do not avoid doing activities for fear that it hurts. If the treatment at home is not helpful after several weeks, the doctor may suggest stronger medications and other therapies.

Medicines
Depending on the type of back pain you have, the doctor may recommend the following:
Over-the-counter analgesics (VL). Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or naproxen sodium (Aleve) can relieve acute back pain. You should only take these medications according to the recommendation of the doctor. Excessive consumption can produce serious side effects. If VL pain relievers do not relieve the pain you suffer, the doctor may recommend you to take NSAIDs with a prescription.
Muscle relaxants. If mild to moderate back pain is not relieved by VL analgesics, the doctor may recommend that you take a muscle relaxant. Muscle relaxers can make you feel dizzy and drowsy.
Topical analgesics They are creams, balms or ointments that you apply on the skin in the place where you feel pain.
Narcotics They are medicines that contain opioids, such as oxycodone or hydrocodone, which can be consumed for a short period with the careful supervision of the doctor. Opioids do not work well for chronic pain, so the prescription usually corresponds to a number of pills for a period of less than a week.
Antidepressants It has been shown that low doses of certain types of antidepressants (especially tricyclic antidepressants, such as amitriptyline) relieve certain types of chronic back pain independently of the effect on depression.
Injections If the other measures do not relieve the pain, and if it radiates to the leg, the doctor may inject cortisone (an anti-inflammatory medicine) or medicine that causes numbness, in the space around the spinal cord (epidural space). . The cortisone injection helps to decrease the inflammation that occurs around the nerve roots, but the pain relief only lasts a few months.
Education
There is no commonly accepted program to teach people with back pain how to control this disorder effectively. Therefore, education could consist of a class, a conversation with the doctor, written material or a video. Education emphasizes the importance of staying active, reducing stress and worries, and learning ways to avoid future injuries.
Physiotherapy and exercise
A physiotherapist can use several treatments, such as heat, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, and muscle relaxation techniques in the muscles of the back and soft tissues to reduce pain.
As the pain improves, the physiotherapist can teach you exercises that can increase your flexibility, strengthen the abdominal and back muscles, and improve your posture. Regular use of these techniques can help prevent pain from coming back.
Surgery
Few people need surgery to treat back pain. If you have an incessant pain associated with a pain that extends through the leg or progressive muscle weakness caused by the compression of a nerve, you may benefit from surgery. Otherwise, surgery is usually reserved for pain related to structural problems, such as narrowing of the spine (stenosis of the spinal canal) or a herniated disc, which has not responded to other therapy.
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Clinical studies
Explore the Mayo Clinic studies evaluating new treatments, interventions and analyzes as a means to prevent, detect, treat or control this disease.
Alternative medicine
Many alternative treatments can relieve the symptoms of back pain. Always talk with your doctor about the benefits and risks before starting a new alternative treatment.
Chiropractic care A chiropractor manipulates the spine to relieve pain.
Acupuncture. An acupuncturist inserts sterilized stainless steel needles into the skin, at specific points on the body. Some people with pain in the lower back report that acupuncture helps relieve symptoms.
Transcutaneous nerve electrostimulation. A battery-operated device placed on the skin sends impulses of electrical energy to the painful area. Studies have shown mixed results regarding the effectiveness of transcutaneous nerve electrostimulation.
Massages If the back pain is due to tense or overloaded muscles, massage may help.
Yoga. There are several types of yoga, a broad discipline that involves practicing poses or specific postures, breathing exercises and relaxation techniques. Yoga can stretch and strengthen muscles and improve posture, although, if they aggravate symptoms, you may have to modify some poses.
Preparation for the consultation
If the back pain lasts a few days without improvement, consult your doctor. Below is information that will help you prepare for your query.
What you can do
Make a list of the following:
Essential personal information, including episodes of mental or emotional stress in your life
Your symptoms, and when they started
All medications, vitamins or other supplements that you consume, including doses
Questions to ask the doctor
Ask a family member or friend to accompany you, if possible, to help you remember the information you receive.
In the case of back pain, these are questions to ask the doctor:
What is the most likely cause of my back pain?
Do I have to undergo diagnostic tests?
What treatment approach do you recommend?
If you recommend medications, what are the possible side effects?
I have other disorders. How can I control them in the best way?
How long will I need the treatment?
What personal care measures can I try?
How can I prevent back pain from returning?
What to expect from your doctor
The doctor is likely to ask you questions, such as the following:
When did the back pain begin?
Did you ever hurt your back?
Is the pain constant?
Does pain affect your ability to function? If so, to what extent?
Do you have other signs or symptoms other than back pain?
Do you do heavy physical work?
Do you exercise regularly? What kind of activities do you do?
How often do you feel depressed or anxious?
Do you sleep well?
What treatments or measures of personal care did you try so far? Is there anything that has helped?

For the relief of back pain, is it better to sit in an ergonomic office chair or on a Swiss ball?

If the long periods sitting at a desk are causing back pain, your office chair may need an adjustment to give you better back support, or you may even need a new chair designed to reduce back pain . It is not recommended to sit on a training ball to work in the office.

To keep yourself upright on a training ball, you must make small and constant adjustments in muscle tension and weight distribution. This effort helps you achieve the benefits of core strengthening exercises performed with a training ball. However, prolonged swinging in a training ball during a full day of work can result in increased fatigue and discomfort in the back.