Back pain can originate in your muscles, connective tissue, bones, or nerves. Some of the most prevalent causes of back pain include:
- Sprains and strains
- Trigger points or muscle spasms
- Arthritis
- Degenerative disc disease
- Herniated discs
- Radiculopathy and sciatica
- Myofascial pain syndrome
- Piriformis syndrome
- Sacroiliac joint dysfunction
- Scoliosis
- Spinal stenosis
- Spondylolysis
- Vertebral fractures
- Spondylolisthesis
- Failed back surgery syndrome
Your risk of back pain increases as you age. Your muscles, connective tissue, and spinal discs become dry and less flexible, increasing your risk of injury and degeneration.
Obesity, a sedentary lifestyle, or a physically demanding job can also increase your risk of back pain.
What is sciatica?
Sciatica is the collection of symptoms that sciatic nerve compression in your lumbar spine causes. It includes low back pain as well as pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness in the hips, buttocks, and legs. Herniated discs and spinal stenosis are two common causes of sciatica.
When should I talk to a doctor about back pain?
Almost everyone has a sore back occasionally. Mild back pain usually passes with a few days of rest and at-home care such as over-the-counter painkillers, ice, and heat. If your back pain persists or gets worse instead of better, make an appointment at SEPA Pain & Spine.
You should also seek treatment if your back pain limits your mobility or ability to take care of yourself. Any signs of nerve problems, such as numbness, tingling, or shooting electrical sensations, should always warrant a professional medical evaluation.
How is back pain treated?
SEPA Pain & Spine offers a comprehensive range of treatments to alleviate back pain. Depending on your specific needs, your treatment plan may include:
Medication management
Anti-inflammatory medications, including steroids, can help manage back pain. Your provider may recommend medication in conjunction with physical therapy or other treatments to address the underlying cause of your pain while also relieving it.
Spinal injections
Spinal injections deliver powerful anti-inflammatory medicines and local anesthetics into different parts of your spine to reduce swelling and relieve pain. Your provider may use fluoroscopy to ensure the precise location of your injection.
Trigger point injections
Trigger point injections send pain-relieving medication directly into painful muscle spasms in your back. The injections usually combine a local anesthetic with an anti-inflammatory for optimal pain relief.
Nerve blocks
SEPA Pain & Spine offers sympathetic and peripheral nerve blocks to stop pain signals from traveling to your brain.
Radiofrequency ablation
Radiofrequency ablation is a minimally invasive procedure that creates a small lesion on a nerve. The lesion prevents pain signals from traveling to your brain.
Spinal cord stimulation
Spinal cord stimulators are small, implantable devices that deliver a mild electric current into your spine. The current disrupts pain signals and prevents them from reaching your brain.
Intrathecal pump therapy
Intrathecal pumps are implantable devices that provide precise doses of pain medication. They deliver the medication directly to the injured tissue, which lowers the amount of medicine you need and your risk of abusing pain medication.
Minimally invasive spine surgery
When non-surgical treatments don’t relieve pain, you may need a minimally invasive spine surgery such as spinal fusion, the Superion® procedure by Vertiflex®, or the mild® (minimally invasive lumbar decompression) procedure.
Call SEPA Pain & Spine, or make an appointment online today if back pain interferes with your quality of life.
Neck Painmore info
