Back Pain

What causes back pain?

Back pain occurs when degenerative conditions or musculoskeletal injuries affect the structures in your back, including bones, muscles, ligaments, cartilage, and tendons. There are many possible causes of back pain, so if your back pain is severe or persistent, it’s important to get an evaluation from the skilled team at Frontier Spine & Orthopaedic Surgery. 

A few possible causes are:

• Herniated discs
• Arthritis
• Compression fractures
• Scoliosis
• Muscle or ligament strains

Back pain often originates in or near your spine, where all of your nerves meet. For this reason, back pain might radiate into other areas like your arms or legs. 

When does back pain need treatment?

Back pain doesn’t always require professional help. You might be able to find relief for your back pain without a doctor’s visit. If your back pain is mild or moderate, home treatments like over-the-counter pain relief medications, heat, or ice can significantly reduce your pain. 

Still, not all back pain is treatable with home care. Your back pain might be associated with an underlying injury or condition that requires professional treatment to resolve. You should book an appointment at Frontier Spine & Orthopaedic Surgery to address your back pain if:

• The pain doesn’t improve with rest or home care
• You lose weight unexpectedly
• The pain radiates down your legs
• You experience numbness or tingling in your legs

When you arrive for your appointment, the team gives you a comprehensive physical examination and requests information about your symptoms and habits. They might also perform imaging tests like computed tomography (CT) scans or X-ray imaging to locate an injury or area of damage.

Which treatments can relieve my back pain?

The team at Frontier Spine & Orthopaedic Surgery treats traumatic, acute, and chronic cases of back pain, typically starting with a conservative treatment approach. If necessary, they might recommend surgery for severe back pain that is resistant to nonsurgical treatments. 

Your back pain treatment depends on the diagnosis you receive. In many cases, a combination of medications and physical therapy can provide relief from your back pain and significantly improve your quality of life. The team might also recommend steroid injections to relieve inflammation for months at a time. 

If you need surgery, the team plans your surgery according to the condition or injury that's causing your pain. Herniated discs may require total disc replacement, an operation to replace your ruptured disc with an artificial disc-like device. The team can also correct structural issues contributing to your pain like bone spurs or spinal stenosis using surgery. 

You shouldn’t let your back pain interfere with your sleep, exercise, or work. For an evaluation and back pain treatment, call Frontier Spine & Orthopaedic Surgery or book your visit online today.