Back Pain Specialist

What causes back pain?

Conditions commonly linked to back pain include:

•Bulging or ruptured discs. Discs act as cushions between the bones (vertebrae) in your spine

•Arthritis

•Skeletal irregularities

•Osteoporosis

•Muscle or ligament strain. Repeated heavy lifting or a sudden awkward movement may strain back muscles and spinal ligaments

Typically, it’s the result of trauma, an injury, overuse, or an underlying medical condition. Other factors that are considered risk factors for back pain are:

•Age

•Obesity

•Smoking

•Improper lifting

•Lack of exercise

•Certain psychological conditions

•Back pain that lasts less than six weeks is acute, while back pain that lasts longer is chronic.

How does arthritis cause back pain?

Arthritis causes wear and tear on your joints and cartilage. If the cartilage wears away, the result is friction — bone rubbing on bone — and pain. In some arthritic conditions, the excessive chronic inflammation can lead to calcification and the formation of new bone, also leading to pain.

Your hips, knees, and fingers are common sites for osteoarthritis (degeneration of cartilage)—but it can also strike your spine, and is commonly found near the facet joints in your lower back. The lower back is the most common site of arthritis back pain, so if you have lower back pain, Spinal osteoarthritis may be the cause.

How does sciatica cause back pain?

This painful pressure on your sciatic nerve can be caused by a variety of factors, including a herniated disc, an injury, spinal stenosis, and spondylolisthesis, to name a few.  Sciatica is a common type of pain affecting the sciatic nerve, a large nerve extending from the lower back down the back of each leg.

What are the symptoms of sciatica?

Common symptoms of sciatica include:

•Lower back pain

•Pain in the rear or leg that is worse when sitting

•Hip pain

•Burning or tingling down the leg

•Weakness, numbness, or difficulty moving the leg or foot

•A constant pain on one side of the rear

•A shooting pain that makes it difficult to stand up

What are the treatment options for back pain?

The treatment options for back pain depend on the severity and the cause of the pain. Some of the treatment options include:

•Chiropractic care

•Anti-inflammatory medications

•Physical therapy and rehabilitative exercise

•Surgery

If you’re experiencing back pain, Dr. Nomoto can help you find relief.  Call or book your appointment online today.

Back pain in the United States

An estimated 10 million adults suffer from chronic back pain annually. The majority of these patients have degenerative and related conditions. These degenerative conditions can result in instability and spinal nerve compression, causing back pain and/or radiating pain in the arms or legs.

Before recommending back surgery, physicians usually first prescribe nonsurgical treatments, including lifestyle changes, bed rest, medication, physical therapy, chiropractic care, and steroid injections, depending on a patient’s particular indications. When these treatments are not effective, some patients require spine surgery. It is estimated that more than one million patients undergo spine surgery each year in the U.S.

Symptoms

Acute pain comes on suddenly and can be severe, but lasts a relatively short time.

Chronic pain is a persistent state of pain that does not get better on its own over time. It can be brought on by injury, illness, or age.

Back pain can be felt constantly or intermittently, and may be a dull ache or a sharp, piercing, or burning sensation. The pain can stay in one place or radiate to other areas, such as the front, sides, back, legs, and neck.  Causes

Some of the more common causes of back pain originate in the muscles and/or nerves.

1. Muscles. Back pain can be the result of a sudden, awkward movement, strained back muscles and ligaments, or lifting heavy objects. 

2. Nerves. Pressure on or impingement of nerve roots in the spinal canal can be caused by herniated discs, arthritic conditions, bone spurs, or displacement of vertebrae. Nerve compression can result in pain throughout all areas of the back, and often into the extremities.