Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS)

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is the treatment of muscle tension by means of stimulation current treatment. The aim is to release muscle tension and thereby achieve improved mobility. Usually, TENS is used as an accompanying measure and thus in combination with other therapeutic measures. Especially for the treatment of chronic back pain (lasting longer than 6 weeks) TENS is used.

Behavioral Therapy

Within the framework of behavior therapy, which is a form of psychotherapy, an attempt is made to influence and change long-established habits and attitudes through conversations and exercises. The reason for the use of such a procedure is the fact, already briefly described above, that physical stress and mental stress often occur together. This form of therapy is often considered for patients who have already undergone various therapy options without a profound improvement.

Operations

Back pain is only treated surgically in exceptional cases. This is usually only the case if a serious disc procedure must be assumed. In these cases there are three options for the surgical procedure:

The classic removal of the intervertebral disc, i.e. an open operation on the spine,
The removal of intervertebral discs using microscopic methods (endoscopic) through a small incision in the spine,
Or the dissolution of the disc by means of chemical substances injected into the disc.
Although the chemical dissolution of the intervertebral disc is gentler, it is not as effective as the classical surgery.
As an alternative to the removal of the intervertebral disc, the disc prosthesis is increasingly being considered. The disc prosthesis now offers an alternative for damaged intervertebral discs. Which role the disc prosthesis will play in the future is not yet clear.
Racz catheter is a procedure developed in 1982 by the Texas anesthesiologist and pain therapist Prof. Gabor Racz. The Racz catheter technique is a minimally invasive procedure for the treatment of chronic back pain of different urinary ashes. It is a special catheter (thin tube), which, in contrast to conventional catheters, has a metal guide wire and can be directed precisely to the site of the pain and can be treated directly on site.