When your back pain has exceeded your ability to withstand it, and you will sooner pass out rather than attempt to stand up and move about, you may want to consider more extreme measures. These measures are not for the faint of heart, because they will require assistance from others to get about or your personal resignation to the post-operative situation. However, they have a higher success rate at eliminating your extreme back pain than all of the other methods you have probably tried thus far.

Spinal Disc Replacements

Spinal discs can be replaced as a means of controlling pain and inflammation. The artificial discs are stronger and less prone to slipping and squeezing, which may be of great help to you if your own are currently herniated or crushed. The procedure is extremely delicate and dangerous, as your surgeon has to work so close to the spinal cord and central nervous system, but it can and does fix many of the problems people have with spinal disc injuries and debilitating back pain.

Weekly Cortisone Shots Directly Into Your Spinal Tissues

Cortisone is an anti-inflammatory, but when it is used to reduce the inflammation and swelling of tissues and joints in your back (e.g., herniated discs or arthritis), it can also reduce pain as a side effect. When reducing these swollen areas, it also reduces the pressure on nerves and blood vessels, which is the source of the intense pain you feel. Unfortunately, controlling the swelling via cortisone means that you will probably need shots in your back more frequently. Some people who have had intense pain for years receive the shots weekly versus monthly or as needed.

Severing a Nerve Branch

When absolutely everything else has been tried and has failed, a doctor might suggest that a nerve branch be severed as a means of eliminating pain. The nerves in the human body branch off the central nervous system like fingers and tree branches, each "finger" or "branch" controlling sensations, impulses and responses to a particular area of the body. While severing just the tiniest nerve branch could bring you some major relief, you also have to be aware of the fact that a larger part of your body that is connected to or controlled by that branch or finger will lose all sensation.

Most people who experience excruciating pain may not be eligible for this type of surgery given the location of their pain and what the nerve branch in these areas is responsible for. Still, some people who are eligible opt for this type of surgery just to get some relief. Be sure to talk to your doctor to see if you are eligible for this extreme measure and what it means if you have the surgery.

For more information, contact Beltline Chiropractic or a similar company.