Low back pain is well, a pain. It reduces your quality of life, negatively affects your relationships, and interferes with your ability to work and carry out daily activities. Low back pain is such a common condition because the lower back is subjected to a lot of mechanical stress and strain. Low back pain that lasts longer than six months is considered chronic pain; between two to 10 percent of sufferers have chronic back pain. Many conditions can cause low back pain, which is why it’s important to see an expert, like us. Our pain specialists will diagnose your condition and develop a comprehensive treatment plan that is unique to your needs.

There are three main reasons why it’s important to see a doctor after developing acute or chronic low back pain

1. Low back pain is a symptom of other potentially serious or life-threatening conditions such as fractures, cancers, and infections.
2. Your low back pain may prevent you from being active, which can lead to weight gain and the weakening of muscles surrounding the spine, worsening your condition.
3. Waiting to get treatment can make the condition worse. Starting a pain management treatment plan soon after the problem develops can cut down the treatment time, reduce the amount of pain you suffer and get you back to leading a normal life.

Spine-Related Conditions That Cause Low Back Pain

Back Muscle Strain Or Lumbar Sprain
Pain occurs when the muscles or ligaments of the low back are over-stretched or torn. This type of sudden pain is called acute pain. The injured areas can also become inflamed and cause muscle spasm. A variety of things can cause strains and sprains, including lifting heavy objects, falling or slipping, or sudden twisting motions. Depending on your injury, your pain specialist will develop a unique treatment plan, which may include cryotherapy, alternating heat and cold, chiropractic care, acupuncture, and medication.

Vertebral Fracture
A vertebral fracture is a fracture in one of the bones of the spine. Vertebral fractures are caused by diseases, such as osteoporosis or cancer, and injuries, such as a car accident or fall. Treatment to help a vertebral fracture heal include medication, rest, a back brace and a vertebral augmentation procedure.

Spinal Stenosis
Spinal stenosis is diagnosed when the spinal canal becomes narrower and puts pressure on the spinal cord or nerves. Many factors can cause spinal stenosis including genes, age-related changes, injury, or disease. Treatment for spinal stenosis includes physical therapy, medication, and epidural steroid injections.

Degeneration Or Injury To The Facet Joints
The facet joints are small stabilizing joints found behind and between each of the vertebrae in your spine. They are coated by lubricated cartilage, which allows them to slide over each other without much friction. Osteoarthritis of the facet joints is age-related wear-and-tear that breaks down the cartilage, causing inflamed joints. Traumatic impact injuries, such as car accidents, falls, and sports can also cause injury and inflammation to the facet joints.

Your spine has many nerve fibers, which is why osteoarthritis and traumatic impact injuries to the facet joints cause significant pain. A medial branch block or facet injection procedure may be recommended to help diagnose or treat your condition.
Facet joint problems are treated using a multi-phase approach that includes back bracing, chiropractic care, physical therapy, acupuncture, medication, or a radiofrequency ablation procedure.

It’s important to seek treatment for facet arthritis quickly because it can cause degenerative spondylolisthesis or the slipping of a vertebra out of place. Degenerative spondylolisthesis is often treated with physical therapy, medication, and epidural steroid injections.

Degeneration Or Injury To The Intervertebral Disc(s)
Intervertebral discs are located between the vertebra of your spine. They act as a shock absorber for the spine, cushioning the vertebra and assisting the spine in normal movement such as bending and twisting. Intervertebral discs are flat and have a tough, fibrous outer layer and a gel-like inner layer.

Intervertebral discs can break down due to age-related wear-and-tear, a condition called degenerative disc disease. They can also be injured by lifting heavy objects or through trauma, such as a car accident or fall.

Degenerative disc disease and injury cause painful low back conditions, such as:
Bulging disc – A bulging disc is caused when the intervertebral disc bulges out from the vertebra and puts pressure on a nearby nerve.
Herniated disc – A herniated disc happens when the inner layer of the intervertebral disc presses against the outer layer. An extruded disc is the severe form of a herniated disc and occurs when the inner intervertebral material pushes all the way out of the external layer and into the spinal column. Pain is caused when the inner material of the disc irritates nerves it contacts or from the inflammation of the disc putting pressure on a nerve.
Annular tear – The outer layer of the intervertebral disc is torn, and the nerves are irritated by exposure to the inflammatory material in the inner layer.

Your doctor will recommend treatment based on your diagnosis. A multi-phased approach typically includes physical therapy, acupuncture, chiropractic care, back bracing, non-surgical spinal decompression, medication, or epidural steroid injections. Your certified pain management doctor at Innovative Pain and Wellness will take into consideration your diagnosis, pain level, and lifestyle to develop a unique and comprehensive treatment plan for you. A multi-phase treatment for low back pain can include acupuncture, chiropractic care, medication, physical therapy, steroid injections, radiofrequency ablation or surgery. Your doctor, along with our skilled, in-office multidisciplinary team, will help you achieve relief from your low back pain. We invite you to read further to learn more about the procedures and treatments we offer.