Did you know?
If you can answer yes to any of the following questions, you should consult a spine specialist:- Has your low back pain extended down your leg?
- Does your leg pain increase if you lift your knee to your chest or bend over?
- Have you had severe back pain following a recent fall?
- Have you had significant back pain lasting for more than 3 weeks?
- Have you had back pain that becomes worse when you rest, or wakes you up at night?
- Do you have persistent bladder or bowel problems?
Health Facts
Back pain is often caused by obesity
Most people know that obesity contributes to the development of various diseases. However, did you know that obesity is a contributing factor to back pain? It is true. Being overweight or obese can significantly contribute to osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, and spondylolisthesis.
Proper Diagnosis and Treatment of Back Pain
| Q: | What are some of the common causes of back pain? |
| A: | Back pain is usually caused by poor posture, lack of physical
fitness, poor work habits, obesity, or poor sleeping habits.
Another frequent cause is injury during physical labor, exercise,
motor vehicle accidents, and sports activities. Rarer causes
include chronic conditions such as arthritis or osteoporosis,
infection, and tumor. In many instances, multiple causes exist.
Although it may have started as a result of one cause, others
aggravated and often complicated back pain. Back pain is commonly the result of damage to the back muscles, ligaments attached to the spine or to the spinal discs. Spinal discs are jelly-like cushions between the vertebrae that acts as shock absorbers. |
Q: |
What can patients do to assure proper treatment for their back? |
| A: | The first thing a patient can do is to get a proper diagnosis.
It is best to get diagnosed by a physician who specializes in
back problems. If in doubt get a second opinion. Often the patient
is diagnosed by one physician, provided conservative treatment
by another and operated on by a third. It is best if all can
be done at the same facility. Once diagnosis is complete, the patient should make sure he or she understands the problem, why a particular treatment is best, what does it involve and what the expected outcome is. The patient should make an informed decision at all times. If surgery is required, the patient should choose an appropriate hospital or facility has a rehabilitation program to help you recover quicker and stronger, and a program that teaches proper back care to avoid injuries. |
Q: |
What treatments are available for back problems? |
| A: | Treatment for back pain depends on its causes and severity. It usually begins with rest to allow inflamed or injured tissues to heal. A brace may be required to provide support for the injured back. As the healing completes, a prescribed program of corrective and strengthening low back exercise should be implemented. Some may initially require periodic physical therapy to learn and practice the exercises. People with poor physical fitness are encouraged to exercise regularly and maintain a healthy body. For the overweight patients, losing pounds should be part of the treatment. For those with chronic back pain where conservative therapy or surgery is not applicable, pain management is an option. Surgery is recommended only for cases where conservative therapy has failed and surgery offers a beneficial outcome. |
Q: |
When does surgery become an option for treating back pain? |
| A: | According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, less than one in ten persons with back pain will require surgery. Back pain is usually successfully treated with medication and exercise therapy. Surgical intervention is an option for disc conditions that does not respond to other methods of treatment. Several forms of surgery exist, including enzyme injection to dissolve soft disc parts and traditional surgery to remove ruptured disc parts. The enzyme injection has potential for serious side effects. A more recent microsurgery technique offers several advantages, including negligible recurrence. In the case of spinal instabilities, a bone fusion may be advisable in which two vertebrae are fused together for greater stability. |
Testimonials
““I had the best doctor,” establishes John. “The Doctor did not rush into surgery. He went to great lengths examining my health conditions, reviewing my past surgeries and meticulously determining the right diagnosis, so that on the day of surgery there were no surprises. ...”John Doe
“The minimally invasive surgery was amazing…to have the pain subside so quickly. I felt the difference immediately...”
Jane Doe
“Prior to surgery, I experienced excruciating pain in the lower lumbar area. The pain caused a great deal of agony and placed unbelievable stress in my life, I feel that the spinal fusion April 16th, has given me back my life, I am active and enjoying life again, with minimal limitations....”
John Doe
Latest news
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The Spine Institute is often in the news pioneering new treatments to help the reported 34 million Americans 18 years and older who suffer lower back pain, and another 9 million who suffer neck pain. Watch the news coverage here.