Back Pain

What causes back pain?

Back pain is remarkably common, and many people across the United States suffer from back problems. Some of these conditions are due to accidents and injuries, and others develop more slowly over time. Sometimes people are born with back problems, which are known as congenital disorders.

Your risk of having back pain is higher if you're overweight or obese because of the extra strain on your back. Smoking, a poor diet, and not getting enough exercise can contribute to a weak, unhealthy back, too. Degenerative conditions are more likely to affect your back as you age.

Poor lifting techniques, doing more than you’re physically fit for, and having bad posture can all cause back pain. Playing sports is a common cause of back pain, too. Falls, trips, collisions, and auto accidents also cause many back problems.

What condition might be giving me back pain?

There are numerous types of back conditions, including:

• Herniated or bulging discs
• Lumbar radiculopathy (sciatica)
• Spondylosis
• Spinal stenosis
• Spondylolisthesis
• Post laminectomy syndrome
• Scoliosis

Back conditions that develop because of degenerative changes in your bones and tissues include degenerative disc disease, osteoporosis, and facet joint osteoarthritis.

How is back pain treated?

Initially, the Pain Physicians NY team uses conservative treatments to tackle back pain. These treatments could include:

• Medication
• Topical analgesics
• Physical therapy
• Acupuncture
• Trigger point therapy
• Massage
• Chiropractic treatment
• Regenerative medicine
• Intravenous ketamine
• Epidural steroid injections
• Medial branch block

To deliver injectable treatments, the Pain Physicians NY team uses imaging technology to guide the needle to precisely the right location. The majority of patients recover well using conservative treatments.

What other treatments are available for chronic back pain?

If conservative approaches aren't providing relief from your back pain, you might need to consider more invasive options, like spinal cord stimulation.

The Pain Physicians NY team also specializes in using radiofrequency neurotomy to treat back pain. This treatment – also known as radiofrequency ablation – generates heat using radio waves. The heat disables the nerves that are sending pain signals to your brain.

If you have a compression fracture, there are two minimally invasive treatments that can help. Vertebroplasty involves having an injection of bone cement into the affected vertebrae. Kyphoplasty is a similar procedure, but your provider first inflates a special balloon to raise the height of the vertebra before injecting the cement.

Other minimally invasive options that could help relieve persistent back pain include:

• Discectomy
• Microdiscectomy
• Spinal decompression
• Lumbar radiofrequency neurotomy
• MILD (minimally invasive lumbar decompression)

No matter the cause of your back pain, you can find the relief you need by visiting Pain Physicians NY. Call the office today or book an appointment online.