What could be causing my back pain?

There are numerous triggers for back pain, including:

Acute injuries

Acute injuries stretch or tear muscles, ligaments, and tendons in your back or may damage the vertebrae and discs that form the spinal column. You could injure your back when playing sports, in an auto or work accident, or a fall.

If you routinely hunch over a keyboard or lift things without using the proper technique, you increase your risk of injury and back pain. Going beyond your fitness limits or a lack of exercise can also lead to injuries and back pain.

Degenerative diseases

Years of wear-and-tear and the effects of aging can lead to changes in your spine that are frequent causes of back pain. Examples of these types of conditions include:

• Spinal stenosis
• Degenerative disc disease
• Facet joint arthritis
• Bone spurs
• Osteoporosis
• Spondylolisthesis
• Herniated discs

Herniated discs occur when the soft core of the disc pushes through the outer shell. In many cases, this happens when aging and degenerative disc disease cause the outer shell to weaken. You could also experience a herniated disc if trauma causes a tear in the disc’s outer layer.

What other symptoms might I experience with back pain?

While the injured tissues in your spine can be painful, one of the primary causes of back pain is nerve compression (radiculopathy). That occurs when something in your spinal canal, like a bulging disc, bone spur, or thickened ligament, presses on one or more of the nerves as they exit your spinal cord.

If you have radiculopathy, you might experience additional symptoms such as:

• Numbness
• Tingling
• Burning
• Prickling
• “Pins-and-needles” sensation
• Weakness
• Loss of function

Pain and other symptoms often travel into your buttocks, hips, and legs from your lower back. A common example of this problem is lumbar radiculopathy — better known as sciatica.

Sciatica causes a sharp, shooting pain that goes from your lumbar (lower) spine, through the buttock, and down your leg, along the path of your sciatic nerve.

What treatments help with back pain?

At Sports, Pain & Regenerative Institute, Dr. Patel offers a range of treatments for back pain that he tailors to your unique needs. Options include:

• Physical therapy
• Ice and heat
• Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections
• Trigger point injections
• Epidural steroid injections
• Facet joint injections
• Nerve blocks
• Radiofrequency ablation
• Neuromodulation (spinal cord stimulation)

Dr. Patel excels in using interventional pain management and minimally invasive techniques to improve pain and increase function. His treatments address the causes of your back pain, which reduces or eliminates your need to use prescription pain medication.

For a consultation with Dr. Patel, call the Sports, Pain & Regenerative Institute office today or book an appointment online.