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Chronic Back Pain Treatment

Chronic back pain treatment can take many forms, though before you begin any kind of treatment schedule, it will be important to get a full physical from your doctor. He or she will most likely require an MRI or CT scan to make a diagnosis.

Chronic back pain can be a debilitating and life-altering condition, so understanding the possible causes of your condition and being able to describe your symptoms accurately to your doctor will be the first steps in finding relief from your discomfort. It also might help to know a little more about spinal anatomy. Between each cervical (neck), thoracic (middle back), and lumbar (lower back) vertebra is a roundish pad, called an intervertebral disc. These pads help absorb and cushion the many movements our backs and necks make each day. As we get older, however, the discs can wear down and their outer covering, called annulus fibrosus, can weaken and break open. Another part of the spine that can be affected by age is the joints of the spine, called facet joints. They can degenerate (osteoarthritis) or become inflamed (rheumatoid arthritis). Regardless of the cause, any condition that damages the spine can lead to constriction of one or more of the many nerves contained in the spinal column. These spinal nerves travel to all areas of the body, and pain from compressed spinal nerves can travel to any place that the nerve travels.

Chronic back pain treatment should always start with a conservative, non-invasive rehabilitation plan, including:

• Physical therapy (low-impact exercises and strength-building movements)
• Over-the-counter or prescription pain medications
• Steroid injections
• Rest
• Hot and cold packs

If these prove ineffective, your doctor may suggest a traditional back pain surgery to relieve pressure in the spinal column, or to limit motion in damaged areas of the spine:

• Laminectomy or foraminectomy – removal of significant portions of spinal bone
• Discectomy – removal of one or more intervertebral discs
• Artificial disc replacement – a prosthetic disc is implanted in the place of a damaged disc (this surgery is still relatively experimental)
• Spinal fusion – two or more of the vertebrae are permanently fused together

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Opting for back pain treatment in the form of surgery is an extremely important decision. You must take certain factors into consideration, such as hospital stays, recovery time, and risk of infection. Laser Spine Institute (LSI) is ready to advise you on your options for chronic back pain treatment. Our state-of-the-art, endoscopic procedures are minimally-invasive and are performed on an outpatient basis, meaning that recovery time is reduced and you can get back to leading an active, pain-free life as soon as possible. Contact us today for a free review of your MRI or CT scan.

Please note: Laser Spine Institute currently does not perform endoscopic procedures on the thoracic spine.