Back pain is one of the most common reasons people seek medical care.

Whether it’s a dull ache, stiffness or a sharp, shooting pain, it can disrupt your daily routine and limit what you do. The good news is that most back pain can be managed without surgery.

Understanding the Causes of Back Pain

Not all back pain is the same. It can stem from a variety of sources, including:

• Muscle strain or ligament sprain
• Nerve compression caused by a pinched nerve, such as sciatica or radiculopathy
• Scoliosis. curvature of the spine causing uneven load
• Stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal, which can squeeze nerves)
• Problems with the disc between the vertebrae
• Bone spurs (when extra bone growth happens in places it shouldn’t)
• Arthritis

Identifying the specific cause of your pain is the first step toward effective treatment. A thorough evaluation, including a detailed history, physical exam and X-rays or other imaging, is crucial.

Red Flags: When to See a Doctor for Back Pain

While most back pain isn’t dangerous, certain symptoms mean you should seek medical attention right away:

• Constipation, bowel or bladder problems
• Muscle weakness
• Numbness or pain in your arms or legs
• Numbness in your back, genitals, or perineal region
• Fever and chills
• Pain that wakes you from sleep
• Unintended weight loss
• Sudden onset of pain
• Shooting pain in your back and leg
• Difficulty walking or using your hands

Non-Surgical Treatment for Back Pain

Most back pain can be managed with conservative, non-surgical treatments.

What You Can Do

• Exercise regularly: Low-impact activities like swimming, walking, Pilates and yoga can improve flexibility, strength and balance.
• Core strengthening: Building core muscles stabilizes your spine and reduces strain on your back.
• Good posture and body mechanics: Learning to move, sit and lift correctly can prevent unnecessary strain on your spine.
• Healthy diet: The Mediterranean diet, rich in fruits and vegetables, can reduce inflammation. For people with diabetes, controlling blood sugar is crucial.
• Avoid smoking and excess alcohol: Smoking reduces blood flow to your spine and accelerates joint breakdown.
• Maintain a healthy weight: Carrying extra weight puts more stress on your joints.

How We Can Help

• Physical therapy: Supervised exercise to help strengthen the muscles that support your spine, improve flexibility and promote better posture. TENS therapy (electrical stimulation) and dry needling may also be recommended.
• Medications: Ibuprofen, muscle relaxants, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), nerve pain medications, and sometimes steroids may be recommended.
• Pain management techniques: These include diagnostic injections, nerve blocks, nerve ablation and epidural steroid injections, We typically give conservative treatments about six weeks to work. If these approaches don’t provide lasting relief, it may be time to decide if surgery is the next appropriate step.

Surgical Options for Back Pain

Surgery is always the last resort, reserved for cases where other treatments haven’t worked or when there are serious structural problems.

Common procedures include:

• Laminectomy/Decompression: Removes a small part of the back of the vertebra to reduce narrowing to the spinal canal and nerve exit site.
• Discectomy: Removes part of a herniated disc.
• Spinal fusion: Stabilizes the spine by joining bones together, often with rods and screws.
• Combination procedures: Many surgeries combine decompression and fusion.

Whenever possible, minimally invasive procedures are preferred, as they often mean less pain and a quicker recovery.

Turn to Us

Back pain is common, but you don’t have to live with it. Our goal is to find out what’s causing your pain and treat it so that you can get back to doing what you love.