What Your Back Pain Might Be Telling You

Millions of us suffer from back pain. In fact, it’s one of the most common health problems in the United States. From a steady, dull throbbing to a sharp, sudden pain that radiates down your leg, there’s a wide range of ways you might experience it — and an even wider range of ways it can happen.

Whether your pain developed suddenly after a fall or progressed slowly from age-related changes, the result is the same: symptoms that interfere with your daily life. That’s why it’s important to let a specialist take a closer look, so you can better understand your options and work together to build a treatment plan.

Causes of back pain symptoms

Almost everyone will experience back pain at some time in their life. Several factors can contribute to back pain, including your:

• Age
• Diet  
• Family history
• Fitness level  
• Job-related risk  
• Stress level
• Weight 

When to see a doctor about your back pain symptoms  

Plan to see your doctor right away if you have pain that doesn’t improve after a few weeks, or if you have these symptoms:

• Back pain after a fall or injury
• Fever, which can be a sign of discitis or an epidural abscess
• Numbness and tingling
• Severe back pain that medicine doesn’t help
• Trouble urinating
• Unplanned weight loss
• Weakness

Treatment for back pain  

The right treatment depends on the cause of your pain. Your doctor will do a full exam, which may include X-rays and scans, to better pinpoint what’s causing your pain and how best to treat it. An accurate diagnosis is essential as many different structural problems can give similar and often overlapping symptoms.

In some cases, you can improve back pain with lifestyle changes, such as staying active to increase strength and balance. You could also work to maintain a healthy body weight to lower stress on your back.

Traditional and complementary treatments

Your doctor may suggest traditional treatments such as muscle relaxers or numbing injections.

Your provider may also suggest complementary approaches such as acupuncture, spinal manipulation, Tai chi or yoga.

When you may need surgery for back pain

Conservative therapy, including physical therapy, is effective in nearly 80 percent of cases. If physical therapy and other traditional or complementary treatments are not providing relief, surgery may be an option to help alleviate your back pain.

Surgical approaches range from minimally invasive procedures to more complex open operations, and an experienced surgeon can partner with you to develop a personalized treatment plan aligned with your overall health and wellness goals. In about 20 percent of cases, sacroiliac, or SI, fusion may be the most effective way to relieve back pain and restore stability.

What is SI fusion?

The SI joint is where the spine and pelvis meet. SI fusion makes the SI joint more stable since it, like any joint, can break down over time or because of an injury. The result is often a painful lower back.

Your neurosurgeon will make a small incision and use an implant system to stabilize and fuse the SI joint to prevent ongoing pain. The procedure is designed to help you recover faster with fewer complications and better outcomes.

SI fusion is a minimally invasive surgery that has a very high success rate. After surgery, patients typically recover in about three weeks using a walker or crutch. Most don’t need physical therapy during this time.

Expert care for your back pain is within reach

If you haven’t been able to find relief from back pain, ask your doctor if the pain could be related to your SI joints. If you are diagnosed with an SI joint condition, please contact Christopher Taleghani, MD at 443-451-4994.