Back Pain Treatment
Back pain is generally caused by damage to your spine’s muscles, ligaments, or discs. Lifting heavy objects or twisting awkwardly can stretch these tissues, and they may develop small tears. Chronic (long-term) conditions that cause back pain include:
- Herniated or bulging discs
- Spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal)
- Degenerative disc disease
- Sciatica
- Arthritis
- Spondylosis (age-related degenerative arthritis)
- Spondylolisthesis (lower back pain caused by a slipped vertebra)
- Vertebral compression fractures
Vertebral compression fractures are usually caused by osteoporosis. This disease mainly affects older people, causing the bones to weaken and break easily.
Back pain can be achy and dull, and the area may be sore to the touch. Or you might get severe muscle spasms and have difficulty moving. Lower back pain can travel to your groin, buttocks, or legs, which indicates you might have sciatica. This condition is caused by pressure on the sciatic nerve in your lumbar (lower) spine.
Treatment of your back pain will depend on its cause. Dr. Weinstein does a thorough physical exam and reviews diagnostic X-ray, CT, or MRI images to evaluate your condition.
How is back pain treated?
Many patients experience relief from back pain with self-care. Resting and gentle movement, using ice and heat, and taking anti-inflammatory medication often resolves mild back pain in a few days. More severe back pain that interferes with your normal daily activities might require physical therapy or an epidural steroid injection. These injections contain a powerful anti-inflammatory and a local anesthetic. They can reduce back pain for several months.
Dr. Weinstein uses minimally invasive procedures like vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty to treat vertebral compression fractures. He also offers endoscopic rhizotomy for back pain. This procedure involves heating selected spinal nerves with radiofrequency energy to stop them from transmitting pain signals to your brain.
If your pain doesn’t improve, you might need spine surgery.
What surgery might I need for back pain?
Dr. Joseph Weinstein and his Comprehensive Orthopedic & Spine Care team focus on innovative minimally invasive surgery for back pain. Dr. Weinstein has spent over a decade improving these techniques so that his patients can get back to living full lives as soon as possible. Surgeries he specializes in include:
- Discectomy (disc removal)
- Artificial disc replacement
- Spinal fusion (to stabilize the spine after discectomy)
- Spinal decompression (to increase space in the spinal canal)
Minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS) offers many benefits, including less pain and a faster recovery. Dr. Weinstein uses advanced techniques like spinal endoscopy and laser surgery, which involve making small incisions rather than large cuts.
Call Comprehensive Orthopedic & Spine Care or book an appointment online to find the best treatment for your back pain.
