Back pain causes and treatment: Back pain may result if something disturbs the way in which your joints, discs, muscles and nerves fit together and move. Do you know – back pain is the leading cause of disability in people younger than 40 – and one of the major causes of agony and distress for young women. furthermore, chronic back pain is the worst nightmare for many people across the world. There are several causes of back pain which are associated with many underlying factors. The following are a few among them.

Degenerated disc: General wear and tear makes discs susceptible to injury – as you age your discs become susceptible to degeneration (Spine vertebrae shrink or tear).

Bulging disc: Though the symptoms are quite uncommon, yet a protruding disc pressing on a nerve may cause pain.

Herniated disc: A ruptured disc pressing on a nerve may result in back pain.

Spinal stenosis: Narrowing of the spinal canal, pressing on the spinal cord may cause back pain.

Spondylolisthesis: Damaged joints may lead to vertebrae slipping out of place, pressing the spinal cord or nerve roots.

All the above disc conditions may lead to a condition known as sciatica.

Accidents, falls and fractures are also some of the causes of back pain. Back injuries and strains also cause back pain.

Muscle spasms: Spinal cord injuries or pinched nerves can lead to painful muscle spasms.

Muscle strain: Muscles and attaching tendons may get injured during heavy lifting, sports, or work tasks.

Pinched nerves: Compression of nerve roots due to one or a combination of disc condition causes pain.

Nerve damage: It may be a result of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, cancer, failed back syndrome and/or fibromyalgia, among others.

Lifestyle

Your back pain can be due to the things you do or don’t do in your day-to-day life. Such activities are called lifestyle triggers – these include wearing high heels, lifting heavy objects, slouching at your desk, being overweight, smoking and not exercising.

Emotional Factors

Your emotions, feelings and the amount of stress you get subjected to can also bring on pain – why because stress leads to muscles tension in the back, neck and other areas of the body. Anxiety and depression also aggravate pain enormously.

Procedures for back pain relief

Anti-inflammatory and/or anaesthetic injections are administered at the site of the pain, and most commonly performed in outpatient facilities. These procedures may provide pain relief for weeks and up to a few months depending on the case.

Epidural steroid injections: Injections are administered in the epidural space of the spinal cord to relieve inflammation and pain, which is secondary to disc problems or pinched nerves.

Selective nerve root blocks: Performed on selected nerves related to disc problems or pinched nerves, relieving pain from those nerve areas.

Facet joint blocks: Performed for temporary joint pain relief in preparation for more long-term treatments such as facet radiofrequency.

Other Procedures

Facet radiofrequency: A special heated needle burns and disables the nerves responsible for the pain. Pain relief may last several months to a year.

Spinal cord stimulation: Some people do not respond well to conservative pain-relieving treatments. For them, spinal cord stimulation is a gold standard treatment option. It is very beneficial for individuals with nerve-root damage or failed back syndrome – owing to which they may not respond well to conservative treatments. In this treatment technique, a small portable device placed under the skin generates and transmits signals to the spinal cord. These electrode signals replace pain signals with soothing, comfortable and pleasant signals.

For all types of back pain causes and treatment, it is always better to consult a specialist doctor – a neurologist. if you are unsure of the cause of your back pain, then get yourself evaluated by a senior neurologist to rule out any underlying causes of back pain.

Read more – What is Nerve Pain?