Dr. Stefano Sinicropi, M.D.

If you are dealing with back pain or will be undergoing a spinal procedure in the near future, there’s a decent chance that your doctor will prescribe some medication to help with discomfort or symptoms. As we’ve talked about on the blog countless times in the past, these medications can serve a crucial role in your recovery, but they aren’t a great stand alone option. There is no magic pill that will completely resolve your back pain issue, and because prolonged medication use carries its own risks, you’ll want to make sure that you and your doctor see things through a similar lens when it comes to your medication plan. Below, we share some tips and talking points for ensuring you and your doctor are on the same page in regards to your prescription.

Talking With Your Doctor About Your Back Pain Meds

Nobody expects to become addicted to the painkillers they are taking for a medical issue, but it happens every day in the US. To reduce your risk of issues with your back pain medications, broach these talking points with your doctor:

• Taking Your Medications – For starters, you’ll want to know how to safely take your medications. Your doctor or the pharmacist will explain how often you’ll take your medications and for how long. They can also cover some possible side effects you may experience and if there are any activities you should avoid while you’re on your medications. Make sure that you completely understand how to safely take your prescriptions before you head home.
• Problems With Your Meds – Also make sure that you understand what you should do if you’re experiencing any issues with your medications. If you don’t like some of the side effects you’re experiencing or you are not getting enough pain relief with your meds, talk with your doctor. Don’t just up your dosage on your own to get more pain relief, as this is oftentimes how dependence begins. If you’re dealing with any medication-related issues, reach back out to your doctor.
• Stopping Meds – It is helpful to know how you can safely stop taking your pain medications. Depending on your back issue and your prescription, you may need to wean yourself off slowly so that stopping is not such a shock to your system. Other prescriptions may not be as habit forming and you may simply just need to take your medication until it’s gone. Have a plan in place for stopping your medication regimen as your prescription nears its conclusion.
• Additional Treatments – As we mentioned above, prescription medications are not a great stand alone option for spinal issues, so talk with your doctor about the additional treatments you should be pursuing alongside your medication. Odds are they’ll want you to pair medications with treatments like physical therapy, weight loss, range of motion exercises or similar active techniques. You can get the most out of your pain relief by targeting your issue at the source while your meds are doing their job, so talk with your doctor about how to maximize the effectiveness of your prescription by pairing them with active treatments.

We want you to be able to safely and effectively control the back pain you’re dealing with, but this will require a proactive approach on your end. If you’re willing to ask questions and seek answers from your spine specialist, we’re confident that you’ll be able to safely manage your medications. For more tips, or for help with a spine issue of your own, reach out to Dr. Sinicropi and the team at The Midwest Spine & Brain Institute today at (651) 430-3800.

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