If you have back pain, you may want to hear this. I am a spine surgeon. I specialize in helping patients with back pain, but as you can imagine, most patients don’t need spine surgery. Most patients can help their back pain via conservative means. I have created a back pain box that has those items that actually make a difference. I hope this helps.
The “Back Pain Box” includes 6 Items
Click on the Item Below to Scroll to it.
- 1 | Leg Massager
- 2 | Hot Cold Pack
- 3 | PPM Pack
- 4 | Back Brace
- 5 | Back Massager
- 6 | Physician Assessment [ Required for Prescription ]
Leg Massager
When you have back pain, you attempt to stay home and lay in bed, which is reasonable as long as it’s for just a few days. The problem with laying in bed is there’s less propulsion of blood from your legs up to the heart. And this is something that will prevent or lower the risk of a thrombus or a blood clot forming from inactivity. This massager goes on your calves, they are powered with an internal battery. And if you’re laying around watching TV or just can’t move around because pain is too bad, I would have these on. The gentle massage of your calves will push the blood back up to the heart, and hopefully, lower the risk of a blood clot.
Leg Massager Warning:Warning with these leg squeezers. Be aware that, theoretically, you could put them on too tight and it may cause a blood clot. Be gentle. Use pain to guide you.
Hot Cold Pack
There is mixed science regarding what is the best treatment for back pain. If you have an acute episode of back pain, I would propose using cold within the first week or so, and then switching to heat packs if the pain persists after about one to two weeks. Here’s a hot and cold pack that I prefer. You can microwave it, make it warm, leave it in the freezer, make it cold. It comes with this convenient belt so you don’t have to hold it in place, and you can try to be as mobile as possible. Remember, with back pain, activity is key, but still be nice to yourself. If you’re suffering, there’s a reason why you’re suffering.
Hot Cold Pack Warning:One thing to mention regarding the heat and cold pack, as a warning, please make sure to leave it on the skin no more than 20 minutes, because both heat and cold may burn the skin. Use this judiciously.
PPM Pack
For acute back pain or neck pain, if Aspirin, Advil (Ibuprofen), that non-steroidal anti-inflammatories aren’t doing the job for you, it’s time to step up to a steroidal medication.
The problem with steroids is that there are some side effects. The PPM pack tries to avoid these issues. We combined a steroid in a titrated dose that diminishes over time with Lansoprazole, a medication to protect your belly, as well as a mild non-narcotic pain reliever called “Paracetamol”. Combination of the 3 does a great job. You take it for 6 days. 6 pills, the 1st day, 5 the 2nd, 4, the 3rd day, 3, the 4th, and so on, until you run out. For patients with acute pain, musculoskeletal pain, it works.
PPM Pack Warning:There are some risks associated with a PPM Pack. First of all, it’s a steroid, so don’t take it together with nonsteroidal. You will increase the risk but you won’t really gain much from that. In women, the steroids may cause some spotting. And if that happens, I wouldn’t worry, it’s something that will disappear on its own. But if you’re not aware of that coming, it may be a cause for concern and that may occur whether you have regular periods or not. PPM Pack, the steroidal component may increase your blood pressure. So if you do have a history of high blood pressure, I would check that your blood pressure isn’t going up out of control. And if you have high blood glucose, as in diabetes, your blood sugar will go up a bit. I would check your blood sugar with some more regularity.
Back Brace:
This is for short-term use if you are suffering from an acute episode of back pain. Braces are a godsend when patients are in severe pain because immediately abdominal muscles stop working as soon as the pain comes on. And back muscles alone don’t do a good job at maintaining stability. There has to be a pull in both directions, abdominals, and lower back muscles. Here’s a true simple light brace especially in Florida heat. This is something easy to put on. You get it right and it provides nice abdominal support so that you can get through that acute back pain episode and get back to normal.
Back Brace Warning:Warning about using a back brace. I would make an effort to not use it for more than a couple of days. It becomes a crutch, it may lead to muscle atrophy if it’s used all the time. This brace is great for short-term pain relief. If your pain persists, let’s get an MRI and figure out why you’re suffering.
Back Massager
This may help with an acute muscle spasm. This thing has been used for generations. I remember seeing older versions of this back when I was still a kid in Russia. It’s really simple. Use both hands, apply them to the back, apply the brace to the back, and you can really work on the areas that are hard to reach, lower back areas. It may just relieve that muscle spasm and get you moving again. Because remember, most back pain is muscular pain. So if that muscle keeps getting irritated, this may relieve that irritation.
Back Massager Warning:A warning with this back massager. Please don’t sleep on this. This could cause bruising. Be gentle. Our muscles are sensitive, so I would use this sparingly and very gently.
Physician Assessment
Content Coming Soon
Purchase The Pain Box Appointment
In order to the purchase the pain box, you must first schedule an online consultation with our physician to validate that you are in fact eligible and approved for the steroidal medication included.
![Discussing the procedure on the Cauda Euina Cauda equina syndrome most commonly results from a massive disc herniation in the lumbar region.[4] A disc herniation occurs when one of the soft flexible discs that functions as an elastic shock absorber between the bones of the spinal column displaces from its normal position.](https://spinedoctormiami.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Cauda-Equina-spine-doctor-miami.jpg "Minimally Invasive Decompression for Cauda Equina Minimally Invasive Spine Surgeon Miami")
