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Chronic Back Pain Treatment

At some point in their lives, nearly everyone experiences some sort of back pain. According to one study, it’s 80 percent of adults; according to another, the number is as high as 90 percent. Approximately 8 percent of all American adults reported suffering from chronic back pain – which is pain that lasts longer than three months. Whatever the actual figures, it is indisputable that back pain is one of the leading causes of missed work and one of the health issues on which Americans spend the most money. In many cases, it is difficult to ascertain the precise cause of back pain, so chronic back pain treatment can be a long process.

Chronic Back Pain Causes

Back pain itself might differ in intensity and form from one person to another – it may be a sharp, stabbing pain or a dull ache; it may only be experienced in the lower back or it could be a general all-over pain; it may linger and flare up or it may only appear in response to certain movements. The cause of the pain could be triggered by an injury sustained playing sports or doing housework, or by internal conditions such as degenerative disc disease, spinal arthritis, or a host of others. In either case, the underlying cause of the pain could be a resulting condition such as a herniated disc, bulging disc, facet disease, or many others.

The treatment of chronic back pain is an inexact process for multiple reasons. Because of the sensitive and somewhat fragile nature of the spine, it is generally considered a good idea to consider surgery only as a final option. Additionally, since the spine is such a complex structure, it can often be challenging to diagnose specific structural defects, especially since imaging methods (CT scan, MRI, X-ray) may or may not pick up on subtle flaws on the interior of the spinal canal, for instance.

Conservative Treatments

Typically, patients with chronic back pain will start out on a non-invasive, conservative treatment program, including:

• Resting until exercise is possible
• Physical therapy
• Pain management, including medication
• Anti-inflammatory medications

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If such a course of treatment is ineffective, and if examinations have led to the conclusion that a spinal problem is causing the pain, surgery may become an option. This is where Laser Spine Institute (LSI) comes in.

At LSI, we specialize in treating many spine conditions with minimally invasive, endoscopic procedures performed by expert surgeons. These laser-assisted procedures allow us to address many causes of chronic back pain without the longer recovery time, increased discomfort, and additional risks involved with traditional open back surgery.

If your doctor has recommended spine surgery, contact Laser Spine Institute for more information about laser-assisted endoscopic spine procedures, or to arrange 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.