Back Pain Treatment Tulsa, OK

What are Some Common Causes of Back Pain?

The three common causes of back pain most likely to keep you from going to work or accomplishing daily activities are arthritis, degenerative disc disease, and failed back surgery syndrome.

Arthritis

A common cause of back pain, arthritis of the joints in the vertebrae (facet joints) usually develops as we age. The vertebral bones slowly degenerate over time and can pinch nerves or other supportive tissue to cause inflammation. Depending on the amount of degeneration and the location of arthritis, you may experience pain in your low back, upper back, hips, as well as radicular symptoms in the legs.

Degenerative Disc Disease

The cartilaginous discs between our vertebral bones degenerate as we age, resulting in a loss of disc space between the vertebrae. Spinal stability may decrease and the vertebrae react by increasing bone growth (called bone spurs). These growths may put pressure on the spinal roots causing inflammation, or the spinal cord to cause pain. Several treatments are available, depending on the location and amount of degeneration.

Failed Back Surgery Syndrome (FBSS)

Some patients may experience chronic pain after surgery, aka post-laminectomy syndrome. The factors that contribute to FBSS include residual or recurrent disc herniations, scar tissue buildup, persistent compression on spinal nerves, & altered joint stability or mobility. Depending on the severity of condition, various treatments are available.

Fibromyalgia

Common syndrome where the person has whole body pain with “tender points” of pain in the joints, muscles, tendons, and other soft tissues. The cause of Fibromyalgia is unknown, but often mimics other chronic pain problems. Triggers for Fibromyalgia may include emotional or physical trauma, infections, activity, weather, anxiety, or stress.

Muscle Pain

Muscle pain, aches, spasms, or tightness may result from damage to the muscles or nearby soft tissue. Pain may be perceived at a location other than the original stimulus (referred pain).

Radicular Nerve Pain

Peripheral nerves in the extremities may cause pain if they are either inflamed or compressed when they enter the spinal column. Osteoarthritis or disc herniations may cause numbness/tingling, burning, or shooting pain from the spinal column down the affected extremity.

Vertebral Fractures

Stress fractures as a result of trauma or osteoarthritis of the vertebrae may lead to vertebral fractures. Symptoms of fractures vary greatly on the severity and location of the fracture but may include: achy and dull sensation, muscle weakness or spasms, numbness/tingling, or paralysis in severe cases.

Other Causes of Back Pain

Other causes of back pain include:

• Sprains or strains from lifting heavy objects or twisting
• Sports injuries
• Auto injuries
• Poor posture
• Obesity
• Sciatica
• Skeletal irregularities

Any of these, if left untreated, can cause complications and affect your overall quality of life.

How is Back Pain Treated?

The treatment for back pain depends largely on its cause, so before the doctors at Memorial Pain create a customized treatment plan for you, they determine the underlying cause of your back pain, especially if it’s chronic. Once they determine the cause, they explain their goals and any recommended procedures that can help you minimize your painful symptoms.

The highly skilled medical team at Memorial Pain specialize in interventional pain procedures. These types of procedures are meant to treat your pain and help you manage it so you can get on with your daily life. Some of these interventional pain techniques include:

• Epidural injections
• Peripheral nerve blocks
• Spinal cord stimulation
• Selective epidural and root blocks
• Facet injections and medial branch blocks
• Kyphoplasty to treat fractures

What Factors Determine if I Need Surgery for Chronic Back Pain?

For the most part, your doctor only considers surgery as a last resort if all other therapies don’t provide long-term relief from your back pain. In many situations, and with a combination of less invasive procedures and time, the experienced team at Memorial Pain can get you comfortably back on your feet again without having to undergo surgery.

If you have chronic pain and managing it yourself just isn’t working any longer, call or schedule an appointment online for a consultation.