Back Pain
About Back Pain
Most people will experience some form of back pain sometime in their lives. There are many causes of back pain. The term “back pain” includes lower back pain, middle back pain, upper back pain or low back pain with sciatica. While we know that nerve and muscular problems, degenerative disc disease, and arthritis can result in back pain, patients should understand that back pain is often self inflected and related to a lifetime of bad habits or lifestyles that put them at risk. Repetitive back stress from lifting and twisting at work, accidents, and athletic or sports injuries are all contributors to back pain.
Symptoms of Back Pain
Symptoms of back pain may include chronic stiffness or aching along the entire length of your spine-from neck to tailbone, sharp localized pain in the neck, upper back or lower back that is most noticeable after heavy lifting or strenuous activity, especially sports. Chronic middle or lower back aches are often most bothersome after sitting or standing for long periods of time.
While all of these symptoms are likely to limit your mobility, range of motion and ability to work or participate in sports or other activities, the need for consultation is more urgent if you feel numbness, tingling, or weakness in your groin, arms or legs as this may indicate a more serious back injury involving nerves.
Non-Surgical Treatment for Back Pain
The main goals are to provide pain relief and improved mobility and range of motion. Typical non surgical treatment for back pain includes exercise and changing activities to avoid holding any one position for too long. Getting stronger in the middle can provide support to painful back tissues and help by reducing the load placed on them. A dedicated stretching program can also help to reduce stress on painful tissues. Chiropractic treatment, traction, and acupuncture can relieve symptoms for short periods of time. Oral anti-inflammatory and pain medications can help facilitate participation in painful activities but when used on a daily basis carry significant health risks.
To learn more and get help for back pain please Schedule an Appointment with Regenerative Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Specialist Daniel Southern, M.D. in Danbury or Wilton in Fairfield County Connecticut by calling 203-456-5717.
Surgical Treatment for Back Pain
If non surgical treatments do not adequately relieve your symptoms and suffering, depending on the cause and severity of your back pain symptoms, especially if they are neurological with numbness and weakness in the leg, back surgery might be necessary.
Patients who are simply unable to function because of the pain or who are frustrated with their activity limitations may consider spinal fusion surgery or artificial disc replacement. Spinal fusion surgery is designed to reduce the pain because it stops the motion at a painful motion segment. Artificial disc replacement works to replace the disc, instead of fusing the disc space together, and maintain more of the normal motion in the spine, thereby reducing the chance that adjacent levels of the spine will break down due to increased stress. If the pain is due to a herniated disc, microdiskectomy, to remove the herniated part of the disc and any fragments putting pressure on a spinal nerve, is the most common surgical procedure. In general, recovery time and rehabilitation for back pain can be somewhat lengthy and uncomfortable requiring careful pain management.
To learn more and get help for back pain please Schedule an Appointment with Regenerative Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Specialist Daniel Southern, M.D. in Danbury or Wilton in Fairfield County Connecticut by calling 203-456-5717.
Regenerative Orthopedic Medicine Treatment for Back Pain
Regenexx® Procedures provide non-surgical treatment options for those suffering from pain related to osteoarthritis, joint injuries, spine pain, overuse conditions, and common sports injuries. These medical procedures are only performed by highly-skilled doctors and are used to help reduce pain and improve function. Regenexx procedures have helped thousands of patients improve their quality of life, return to the activities they enjoy, and avoid the need for surgery or joint replacement*.
Regenexx Physicians represent a very selective, highly-skilled, interventional orthobiologics network that is 100% focused on orthopedic conditions. All Regenexx physicians are musculoskeletal experts with extensive training and experience in the diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal conditions, as well as complex, image-guided injections of your body's own healing agents to treat orthopedic issues. Regenexx patient outcomes are tracked in a registry and with that information, we provide transparent outcome data (below) for those who may be considering this treatment option.
Want to find out if you are a Regenexx Candidate? Complete the Candidate Form.
