by Ambrose Hutson

Chronic, nagging lower back pain causes lost hours at work, brings about sleepless nights, and even creates disability for four out of every five adults in America. Chances are, you've experienced or will experience lower back pain during your lifetime.

The occurrence of chronic lower back pain often begins after a spinal injury such as a strained muscle, sprained ligament or herniated disc. Once the initial damage has been repaired, one would expect the pain to vanish as well. However, health experts have found that such episodes can sometimes trigger an alteration in the nerve cells that transmit signals. The resulting hypersensitivity persists, even after the initial trauma has been healed.

When this occurs, the chronic lower back pain transforms into a disease that is much more than a symptom of underlying spinal damage. Hypersensitivity can continue to create bouts of pain, even when there is no havoc that factored the twinge. For this reason, it's important for people who have suffered lower back trauma to maintain an ongoing rehabilitation program, to avoid any future painful episodes.

An effective, non-surgical treatment method that can bring relief to those suffering with lower back pain is PNT, or percutaneous neuromodulation therapy. PNT brings relief by applying electrical stimulation to deep tissues within the posterior portion of the body.

The PNT procedure for relieving chronic lower back pain has recently received an FDA clearance. You can have this minimally-invasive procedure in a regular medical clinic.

There are particular requirements for those hoping to take advantage of PNT treatments:

* Be at risk of developing long-term, intractable pain.

* Existing pain should radiate from the lower back into your buttocks, legs and feet.

* You should not be taking ample pain-relief medications, including physical therapy or chiropractic manipulation.

* A desire to take a less insidious approach before resorting into a surgical operation is required.

When your doctor performs PNT, she or he will use several needle electrodes that are designed to reach the nerve pathways that may be impacting the pain. Specialists believe that this type of charged stimulation will aid in restraining the central nervous system that relentlessly ushers in pain.

Expect the PNT session to last for about thirty minutes. You'll be asked to lie face down on the table. Once you're in a comfortable position, up to ten PNT electrodes will be applied to specific locations on your lower buttock area. At each point, a fine-gauge filament electrode will reach to a depth of three centimeters. With these electrodes in place, the doctor will adjust the stimulation to distribute the most therapeutic benefits to the patient.

Patients who undergo PNT treatment for lower back pain must complete three or four sessions before evaluating the effectiveness of the procedure. Some patients report experiencing a certain level of relief after a single PNT session, while others require subsequent sessions. The most suitable frequency of PNT treatment for lower back pain will vary with each individual.

Following your percutaneous nueromodulation therapy, you may find improvements such as increased physical activity, reduced need for pain medication, better quality of sleep, more pain control and lower levels of disability.

If you suffer with lower back pain, you don't have to be a slave to the condition. Effective treatment options are available, including PNT sessions, which can provide the relief you need to get back on your feet.

About the Author:
Columnist Ambrose Hutson writes for a variety of popular web sites, on healthy living and home health care issues.