The Causes and Different Treatment Methods for Back Pain

Back pain is a common problem that may affect you at some point in life. In most cases, the pain is not acute and might result from a strain on a muscle or ligament. However, it is necessary to seek medical treatment as back pain in Fayetteville may indicate an underlying medical problem such as osteoarthritis. Treatment is also essential to help you resume your day-to-day activities, as back pain may limit your mobility and productivity.

What Medical Conditions Cause Back Pain?

Sciatica

Sciatic pain occurs upon compression of the sciatic nerve. A bulging or herniated disc may cause this. If you have this condition, you may experience pain in your lower back, radiating down in the legs. While this condition affects people of all age groups, certain factors like diabetes and prolonged sitting put you at a higher risk of sciatica. Along with pain-relieving medications, your physiotherapist may guide you through light exercises to facilitate a quicker recovery. Physical activity may also help prevent the occurrence of sciatica. Pain in most people improves after several months.

Spondylosis

This is an age-related problem that results in degeneration of joints and discs in the spine. Most people with this condition experience no symptoms; others may have symptoms that go away after some time. However, symptoms such as stiffness and pain that worsen after specific movements and long periods of sitting may be present in some patients. Besides growing older, other factors such as smoking, physical inactivity, and spinal injury put you at risk for spondylosis. Muscle relaxants and analgesics may help alleviate your pain along with physical exercise as well.

Spinal Stenosis

Spinal stenosis is the narrowing or constriction of the spaces within your spine, which may result in nerve compression. This condition is characterized by pain, numbness, tingling, and muscle weakness which may worsen over time. Spinal stenosis falls under two categories based on where the nerve compression occurs. In cervical stenosis, the narrowing occurs in the spinal part along your neck, and lumbar stenosis is the most common type of spinal stenosis. The narrowing occurs in your lower back. While some people are born with a small spinal canal, factors such as spinal injuries and thickened ligaments may cause spinal stenosis.

Treatment for Back Pain

There are different treatment options that your doctor may recommend based on your diagnostic results. They include:

Medications

Anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen may help reduce mild to moderate pain. However, these drugs may not work for everyone, and in such cases, your doctor may recommend muscle relaxants to stop muscle spasms and pain. Muscle relaxants may make you feel drowsy or dizzy. For chronic back pain, your specialist may prescribe antidepressants such as duloxetine.

Other treatment methods include radiofrequency neurotomy and cortisone injections. Your doctor may combine cortisone with local anesthesia and inject it into the epidural space surrounding your spinal cord. Cortisone shots offer temporal pain relief, which may last for one or two months.

While medications may improve your symptoms, it is essential to stay active by engaging in low-impact aerobics to speed up your recovery. For further inquiries on back pain, consult with your doctor at Arkansas Regenerative Medical Centers.