Chronic back pain doesn’t just stop you from playing sports or exercising - it can effectively ruin your daily life. Lack of sleep, inability to sit and work, and continued physical degeneration are all soul-crushing side effects of debilitating back pain. 

A quick Reddit search or ChatGPT prompt for the best ways to treat back injuries will yield some predictable results - but also a newer technology that might outpace classic methods such as ice, heat, or painkillers. 

If you’re looking to unlock your back and empower yourself to move, then here are the 8 best modern methods for healing back pain in 2024.

1.Proper Diet, Hydration, and Sleep:

A great deal of chronic pain can be attributed to inflammation. When you eat sugary or carb-heavy meals, drink alcohol instead of water, and don’t get enough sleep, it’s hard for your body to recover properly. 

We also know that in real life, people want to enjoy themselves, so suggesting perfection isn’t reasonable. Balance and moderation are a great start, though.

Pro: Sustainable, cheap, & effective.

Con: Living a boring life is hard for most people to do.

2.Functional Movement and Mobility:

Injuries or irritation can often be attributed to imbalance or weakness in your muscles and joints. Stretching, mobility, and light exercise are great ways to prevent back pain.

It’s also an important part of treating it, but that’s easier said than done once you’re already laid up from pain and inflammation. Additional stimuli like red light therapy can be an important tool that allows you to exercise.

Pros: Can be done daily, helps create a routine.

Cons: Not easily done while hurt, not easy or quick.

3.Sit Less:

One of the most prevalent sources of back pain in 2024 is from sitting too much. Whether it’s at a work computer, watching TV, or sitting and using a smartphone, our bodies were not designed to be sedentary in that position for so long. Make sure to get up, walk around, and especially consider using a standing desk if you work long hours on a computer. 

Pros: Movement and not sitting are healthy.

Cons: Modern life dictates lots of sitting.

4.Ice and/or Heat:

Until recently, these methods of back pain management were considered to be highly effective and recommended by doctors or physical therapists. As we learn more about modern cell science, it’s becoming clear that ice and heat only temporarily reduce the pain, as they don’t go below the surface of the problem.

In order to properly heal, it’s important to reach the deep muscle tissue via photobiomodulation or other advanced treatment methods.

Pros: Will reduce pain and allow you to move short-term.

Con: Won’t reach deep muscle tissue and can trick you into moving too much too early.

5.Painkillers:

Over-the-counter solutions like ibuprofen or Tylenol can get the job done for brief amounts of time, but are tough on your system if you take them consistently. In the worst chronic pain situations, prescription medicines can bridge the gap to functional solutions, but we all know the systemic and addictive risks those hold. Simply put, these are outdated and last resort.

Pros: Will effectively and consistently reduce pain.

Cons: Tough on your system, addictive, and often unsafe.

6.Surgery:

Surgery is often an effective way to treat more severe chronic back pain, but it’s not without significant risk. Often, the results aren’t as advertised, and even if you are able to see a well-respected back specialist, surgery can be incredibly expensive and the recovery can take months - if not years. We don’t recommend surgery unless it is a last resort for your back condition.

Pros: Typically effective, often long-lasting.

Cons: Very expensive, hard to be approved for, catastrophic risk.

7.Chiropractors:

Chiropractic treatment can offer short-term pain relief and allow you to move functionally for brief periods of time, but it is not an effective long-term solution for back trauma. It’s very telling that a treatment from a specialist becomes a repeated activity - not to mention the movements performed are not always safe, and can sometimes lead to further injury in the body.

Pros: You can talk about your trip to the chiropractor!

Cons: Likely not effective, often unsafe.

8.Red Light Therapy:

Photobiomodulation, or red light therapy, is the most cutting-edge method to treat back pain in 2024. Modern RLT devices are safe, non-invasive, enhanced light therapy modules that are easy to use, and highly effective. In just a few minutes each day, it’s possible to relieve joint pain, reduce inflammation, and stimulate the healing of damaged tissues.

Before the most modern form of red light therapy devices, it was only available at specialized clinics or in bulky, non-mobile, panel-based systems that were ludicrously expensive. A great example of the leading technology in on-the-go red light therapy is Kineon’s MOVE+. Not only is it highly effective and easy to use, but it specifically has an extender strap so that you can easily treat troublesome areas on your back.

Pros: Safe, effective, mobile, & easy to use.

Cons: Inferior brands might be a waste of time.

Create a Healthy Routine to Treat Back Pain 

Our bodies appreciate when we consistently treat them right. Because everyone’s body is unique, you might respond better to certain exercises or diets than someone else, or you might require more sleep to feel good daily. Most importantly, you should find healthy preventative and curative methods that align with your physical needs and do them consistently.

If there’s one treatment method to use as a baseline for your chronic back health treatments, we would recommend red light therapy. It’s easy on your body, easy to use, and can cover blind spots in other areas of your lifestyle. Simply put, it’s the back-health hack we’ve all been looking for.

Keypoints 

1. Holistic Approach to Wellness: Addressing chronic back pain requires more than just temporary relief. Emphasize the importance of a holistic approach involving diet, hydration, sleep, and lifestyle changes to manage inflammation and promote overall well-being.
2. Active Movement and Mobility: Encourage incorporating functional movement, mobility exercises, and light physical activity into daily routines to prevent and alleviate back pain. Stress the importance of maintaining a consistent routine to build strength and flexibility.
3. Reduce Sedentary Behavior: Highlight the adverse effects of prolonged sitting on back health and advocate for regular breaks, walking, and consideration of ergonomic solutions like standing desks to counteract the negative impacts of sedentary lifestyles.
4. Modern Treatment Modalities: Emphasize the limitations of traditional methods like ice, heat, painkillers, and even surgery, while highlighting the efficacy and convenience of modern approaches such as red light therapy (photobiomodulation) in providing safe, non-invasive relief and promoting tissue healing.
5. Individualized Approach and Consistency: Acknowledge the uniqueness of each individual's body and advocate for finding personalized, sustainable solutions that align with one's physical needs and preferences. Stress the importance of consistency in implementing preventative and curative measures to effectively manage chronic back pain.