Most Americans experience back pain symptoms at any time of the year. Mild back pain usually goes away on its own, while chronic back pain can cause so much excruciating pain; even bending to pick something up can be devastating. Genesis Orthopaedic and Spine team help to assess your pain and find the cause before creating a comprehensive treatment for back pain in Westfield.

Let’s read what you need to understand about back pain.

Causes

Back pain can be caused by a simple strain on the muscles and ligaments, poor posture, obesity, smoking, old age, and lack of exercise, which results in stiffening of the spine and weak muscles.

The pain is also linked to the following conditions:

Herniated disc and degenerative disc disease

Spinal stenosis and osteoporosis

Sciatica and radiculopathy

Arthritis and fibromyalgia

Scoliosis and spondylosis

Infection, tumor, and inflammation

Symptoms

The main sign is aching anywhere in the back that can spread to the buttocks and legs. Other signs include:

Weight loss and fever

Swelling and inflammation in the back

Urinary and fecal incontinence

Pain in the knee and feet

Numbness around genitals, anus, and buttocks

Diagnosis

Your physician will start by conducting a physical exam by asking you about the symptoms you have experienced, the trauma you have encountered, and conditions you might have, such as arthritis.

The following tests are conducted to give information about the soft tissue state in the back.

X-ray to show bone ligaments and detect the sign of arthritis

MRI and CT scan to detect problems with tendons, nerves, tissues, blood vessels, muscles, bones, ligaments, and herniated disc

Bone scan to detect bone tumors and compression fractures

Electromyography to detect nerve compressions

Treatment

Back pain usually resolves with home remedies and lifestyle changes, but it’s necessary to seek medical attention to determine the underlying cause of the pain. The pain is treated as follows:

Home remedies and lifestyle changes

The following lower the risks of you having back pains:

Exercising helps to build core strength and control body weight.

Eat a healthy diet inclusive of calcium and vitamin D for bone health and to alleviate obesity.

Use neutral pelvic position while standing, sitting, moving, driving, lifting, and wear flat shoes.

Medical treatment

Medication

NSAIDs such as codeine, muscle relaxant, and antidepressants help to alleviate the pain.

Physical therapy

Heat packs, ice packs, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, flexibility, and strength exercises to alleviate the pain and prevent a recurrence.

Cortisone injections

They include epidural, platelet-rich plasma, sacroiliac, and facet injections, which help numb the area causing pain and reducing inflammation.

Botox injection

Reduces pain by paralyzing strained muscles in spasms.

Traction

Pulleys and weights to help stretch the back.

Surgery

Percutaneous discectomy, fusion, artificial disk, radiofrequency ablation, lipograms, and BMAC help to reduce persistent pain and nerve compressions.

Complementary therapy

Yoga, chiropractic, osteopathy, acupuncture, and shiatsu help to relieve pain.

Consult a back-pain specialist today

Back pain is a common ailment and can result in work absenteeism due to discomfort and debilitating pain. Book an appointment today with Genesis Orthopaedic and Spine to help you understand the cause of your back pain and get rid of the pain once and for all.