If you are suffering from persistent lower back pain, you need to be working with a pain clinic. The pain management doctors there will help you to put together a plan that includes various ways to give you pain relief. They know that medication is only one of the keys to controlling pain. They will suggest a number of other techniques to help you manage your lower back pain. Here are just some of the tools that you may have in your comprehensive pain management plan.

Acupuncture

This technique uses very small needles inserted just under the skin over areas of the body called energy meridians. Practitioners of this technique attempt to open up these meridians so that the natural flow of your body's energy through them is restored. One of the body's natural pain-relieving chemicals, called endorphins, is also released during an acupuncture session.

Acupressure and Meridian Tapping

These pain relief techniques are similar to acupuncture, but they are easier to learn and use at home and work. They make use of pressing or tapping with the fingertips on some of the same energy meridians as used in acupuncture. Since no other tools are required, these techniques can be used at work or while traveling to gain some relief. Your acupuncture practitioner may be able to teach you these techniques or recommend a qualified instructor.

Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS)

Small electrodes are placed on certain muscle groups and an electrical current is sent through them. This disrupts the transmission of pain signals from the muscles and nerves to your brain. This technique does not heal anything, but it may allow you to work or relax when the lower back pain is especially intense.

Physical Therapy

This approach uses exercises to keep the muscles in your lower back from becoming tense and painful. Exercises are used to slowly stretch out the muscles to prevent your back from getting stiff. You'll be more comfortable when your back is flexible and you can move easily.

Hypnosis

A therapist can use hypnosis to direct your mind away from the pain and onto more pleasant thoughts. They can also teach you self-hypnosis techniques to use when at home, work, or while traveling. While hypnosis doesn't cure anything, it helps you manage the pain throughout the day.

Mindfulness Meditation

This is another technique used to control the pain. Mindfulness meditation is a way to see yourself as detached from the pain, so it exists outside of your body and not a part of it. Once you feel detached from the pain, you can choose how you react to it, instead of accepting the default pain response of your body.