Back Pain

What causes back pain?

Back pain is broadly categorized into two types: acute and chronic. Acute pain is short-term and usually resolves within 3-6 months. Chronic pain lasts longer than 3-6 months or beyond the expected time frame for an injury, surgery, or disease process.

Back pain can come from many causes, but acute injuries (such as muscle strains) are the most common. The gradual degeneration of the vertebrae, discs, ligaments, muscles, fascia, and other tissues usually causes chronic back pain.

Acute back pain might strike if you overstretch yourself, fall, or push beyond your current level of fitness. Lifting something heavy or bulky using a poor technique is a common cause of acute back pain. 

Anything that involves sudden or awkward twisting movements can also bring on a sudden attack of back pain. Usually, this type of injury is caused by a strain of a ligament or muscle that helps support the lower back.

Chronic pain is often due to degenerative conditions. These causes typically come on more slowly and can include:

• Osteoarthritis/spondylosis
• Spinal stenosis
• Foraminal stenosis
• Spondylolysis
• Degenerative disc disease
• Herniated or bulging discs
• Atrophy of supporting muscles
• Laxity of supporting ligaments

Some people are born with spine problems like scoliosis, which causes an unnatural curvature of the spine. Although not always painful, scoliosis can cause back pain.

Occasionally, back pain can be due to an underlying condition such as rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, or another autoimmune condition.

How is back pain treated?

Treatment for back pain generally involves conservative approaches such as physical therapy, chiropractic treatment, postural alignment, functional movement evaluation, or topical medications. If these options fail, injections containing anesthetics and powerful anti-inflammatory drugs can be injected into the nerves or joints around the spine. 

A minimally invasive process called spinal cord stimulation that involves implanting a pain control device could be the next step if injections aren’t working. Or treatments like radiofrequency ablation that deactivate the nerves.

If nothing is helping, spinal surgery is often the final option for back pain. Spinal surgery is considerably safer and less invasive than it used to be, but it’s still a significant procedure.

How do I seek treatment for back pain?

Regardless of the underlying cause of your back pain, scheduling an appointment with the team at KC Cares Med when symptoms appear will help you return to your regular activities.

Call KC Cares Med or request an appointment online today to find out which treatments can help you treat your chronic or acute back pain.