What causes lower back pain?
At Long Island Chronic Pain, lower back pain is the most common complaint. A variety of factors can contribute to your lower back pain.
Often, it’s as simple as bending or twisting too suddenly and pulling a muscle or ligament in your back. Other factors or conditions that contribute to lower back pain include:
- Sports injury, automobile accident, or fall
- Obesity and poor posture
- Arthritis
- Herniated discs
- Spinal stenosis
- Sciatica
- Degenerative disc disease
Medical experts estimate that nearly 80% of adults experience back pain at some point during their lives. While sometimes your injury might resolve on its own, in most cases, you’ll need medical attention to help you heal and resolve the underlying issue before it develops into chronic and disruptive back pain.
When should I seek treatment for lower back pain?
Back pain is often an indicator of a more serious injury or underlying health condition. If your back pain doesn’t begin to get better on its own after a few days of rest and the use of hot and cold packs at home, you may need medical attention. These symptoms include:
- Persistent pain in your lower back that isn’t solved with over-the-counter pain relievers
- Long-lasting muscle spasm in your back, hips, or pelvis
- Tightness or stiffness that doesn’t release with gentle stretching
- Problems standing for long periods of time
- Trouble walking
- Pain that is worse when you’re sitting or at rest
- Pain that radiates through your hips, buttocks, legs, and feet
If you experience any of these symptoms, you should make an appointment with the team at Long Island Chronic Pain.
How is lower back pain treated?
At Long Island Chronic Pain, the team offers a variety of methods to treat lower back pain and the condition causing it, such as:
- Nerve blocks
- Facet injections
- PRP injections
- Sacroiliac joint injections
- Radiofrequency ablation
Epidural steroid injections are also a common treatment in which medication is delivered directly to the source of your pain. It helps control inflammation in the joint and provides temporary relief. Your physician can determine how many injections you need, but generally, they recommend no more than 3-4 shots a year in one area of the body.
If you have lower back pain and it’s getting in the way of your daily life, call or schedule an appointment online today for expert care from the team at Long Island Chronic Pain.
