LBP (Low Back Pain) – Conditions and Treatments

LBP (low back pain) affects most people at some point during their lives. Since the lower back is responsible for bearing the majority of a person’s weight, it is more susceptible to injury than other parts of the neck and back. While most pain goes away within a few days or weeks, it can sometimes linger for months. Those who experience persistent LBP may suffer from a spinal condition that requires medical treatment.

Conditions

A number of spinal conditions can cause patients to experience LBP. Some of the more common conditions affecting the lower back and causing LBP include:

• Degenerative disc disease
• Spinal stenosis
• Herniated discs
• Spinal arthritis
• Spondylolisthesis
• And more

Many of these spinal conditions can also lead to sciatica, which occurs when the sciatic nerve becomes impinged. This nerve is actually made of multiple spinal nerves and is located in the lower back and buttocks as well as both legs and feet. When the sciatic nerve is pinched, pain and numbness can be felt from the buttocks all the way down the back of the leg and bottom of the foot.

Treatments

Many causes of LBP can be treated using conservative therapies. These treatment options include over-the-counter pain medications, hot and/or cold therapy, bed rest and moderate exercise. Many patients also receive relief with alternative therapies such as acupuncture, Pilates and massage therapy.

Patients who fail to respond to the conservative and alternative treatments above may want to consider the minimally invasive procedures performed at Laser Spine Institute. Our endoscopic procedures are performed on an outpatient basis under local anesthesia and IV sedation, presenting fewer risks than open back surgery. Contact Laser Spine Institute for more information on how our procedures can help to alleviate LBP.