Spinal Bone Spur Treatment – Do Alternative Therapies Work?

August 15, 2012/363 Comments/in Causes, Conditions, Neck Anatomy, Neck Pain Relief Tips, Treatments, Uncategorized /by LSI

Spinal bone spur treatment can take a variety of forms, from simple stretches to prescription analgesic pain patches. Similar to treating many other common conditions, the mainstream medical community generally agrees on a group of therapies that have been tried, tested, and studied to the point that they are considered safe and effective for patients suffering from spinal bone spur symptoms.

However, in addition to treatments that may be prescribed by their primary care physician, some patients may choose to supplement their prescribed treatments with alternative therapies, which include yoga, massage, meditation, acupressure, acupuncture, herbal remedies, and chiropractic manipulation.

The efficacy of alternative therapies is a subject of much debate among medical professionals, largely because there is not extensive scientific proof that these treatments are effective. However, many alternative therapies have been embraced for thousands of years by cultures throughout the world. Because alternative therapies take a holistic, or mind-body-spirit, approach to pain relief, their effectiveness is harder to document in concrete scientific terms.

If you are considering integrating alternative therapies into your bone spur treatment regimen in order to mitigate neck pain and back pain, here are a few tips to help you do so safely:

Talk to your doctor. Even if he or she does not fully support the use of alternative therapies, it is imperative that you disclose all treatments that you’re trying to ensure that they do not interfere with or reduce the efficacy of other prescribed treatments.
Be especially cautious with herbal remedies. Some homeopathic medicinals and herbal supplements can have adverse interactions with prescription or OTC pain medications. Talk with your doctor, a pharmacist, and a complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) healthcare practitioner.

Be sure to disclose your condition to any CAM professional that you work with. Neck pain or back pain due to bone spurs may require certain treatments be adjusted, especially when it comes to massage, yoga, or chiropractic manipulation.

The main thing to keep in mind when attempting alternative therapies (so called because they replace conventional treatments) or complementary therapies (so called because they are supplements to conventional treatments) is that you will likely have to go through a period of trial and error. Be patient as you introduce different therapies into your spinal bone spur treatment regimen and pay close attention to how your body responds so that you know what’s working to relieve your neck pain or back pain. And remember, pain relief is pain relief – even if something as simple as breathing exercises help to relax your muscles and ease some of the tension and stiffness that can result from spinal bone spurs, it’s worth a shot.