What are the causes of lower back pain?
A wide range of injuries and degenerative conditions cause lower back pain. Some of the prevalent causes of lower back pain include:
- A herniated disc in the lumbar spine
- Muscle and ligament strains
- Arthritis
- Osteoporosis
- Skeletal irregularities like scoliosis and spinal stenosis
Your risk of lower back pain increases with age, as your joints become less lubricated and your spinal discs become drier and less flexible.
Your lifestyle also contributes to lower back pain. For example, if you don’t get much exercise or have a sedentary lifestyle, you may have a weak core that can lead to back pain. Being overweight also increases your chances of developing a condition that causes lower back pain.
How is the cause of lower back pain diagnosed?
At Innovative Pain Solutions Centers, Dr. Forsythe and Dr. Oppong diagnose the cause of your lower back pain with a detailed physical exam. They ask you about your symptoms, as well as your lifestyle and medical history. Your doctor feels your spine for irregularities and may ask you to walk around the office or move through some simple stretches so they can see any reduction in your range of motion or signs of pain.
Your doctor may also order a diagnostic imaging test such as an X-ray or MRI to gather more information about your spine, muscles, and connective tissues to confirm your diagnosis.
How is lower back pain treated?
Your doctor at Innovative Pain Solutions Centers chooses pain treatments specifically to address the cause of your pain. They often combine procedures to provide both pain relief and to treat the condition causing your discomfort. Some of the treatments they may recommend include:
- Medication management
- Steroid and cortisone injections including epidural steroid injections
- Radiofrequency ablation
- Nerve blocks including selective nerve root blocks, medial branch blocks and genicular blocks
- Spinal cord stimulation
- Hyaluronic acid intra-articular injections
- Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy
- Orthotics
- Topical treatments
Your doctor may also recommend physical therapy, aqua therapy, and weight loss to strengthen your back and reduce the physical stress on your spine, muscles, and connective tissues.
If you have lower back pain that lasts for more than a few days and at-home treatments like hot and cold therapy and over-the-counter pain relievers don’t provide relief, you should make an appointment with the doctors at Innovative Pain Solutions Centers.
Call or schedule a consultation online today.
Please click here to watch our Herniated Discs video!
Please click here to watch our Spinal Cord Stimulation video!
