Prolonged bed rest is not beneficial because it weakens muscles. In some cases, a full neurological examination may be advised, including tests for the presence of a ruptured disc or other source of pressure on the spinal cord or nerve roots. Many disc problems can be helped by surgery. Aspirin, acetaminophen, or stronger nonnarcotic and analgesic medications also can be effective. Massage and manipulative therapy may have some short-term benefits, but their ultimate effectiveness remains to be proven.
Some pain seems to have no relationship to past disease, injury or damage to the nervous system.
Psychological pain therapies and a new method of diagnosing pain called thermography may be useful in treating these psychogenic forms of pain. An abnormal thermogram in a patient whose pain has no other discernable cause may suggest the need for treatment of a vascular problem. It is common for people with chronic pain to be referred to several different types of medical practitioners as they seek relief for their suffering. Frustration often accompanies this process. In time, an accurate diagnosis may be made by a neurologist, orthopedist or neurosurgeon.