What is low back pain?

Low back pain involves a feeling of discomfort in the lower portion of your back. It can result from an injury, disease, or unknown causes. If you have back pain that doesn’t subside on its own or is severe, see the Spinal Stenosis and Disc Center, Inc. team for an evaluation.

What are the symptoms of low back pain?

Signs and symptoms of medical conditions associated with low back pain include:

  • Mild, moderate, or severe discomfort
  • Muscle aches
  • Stabbing or shooting pain
  • Pain that gets better with laying down
  • Pain that gets worse with movement

Low back pain may subside over time or progressively get worse. It might come and go. Seeking treatment offers you relief and a better quality of life.

What are the risk factors of low back pain?

Numerous factors increase your risk of developing low back pain, including:

  • Arthritis
  • Injuries
  • Pinched nerves
  • Herniated discs
  • Muscle or ligament strains
  • Osteoporosis
  • Scoliosis
  • Age-related wear-and-tear
  • Improper heavy lifting
  • Spinal misalignment
  • Uneven leg lengths

You might develop low back pain after a sports injury, falling down, or being in an automobile accident. Ways to reduce your risk of back pain include maintaining a healthy weight, getting regular exercise, and using improper lifting techniques.

How is low back pain diagnosed?

To find the root cause of low back pain, Dr. Le or Dr. Morgan asks about your medical history and symptoms. They complete a physical exam and might use blood tests, X-rays, MRIs, CT scans, bone scans, or nerve tests to diagnose your condition.

How is low back pain treated?

Dr. Le or Dr. Morgan might recommend one or more of the following low back pain treatments:

At-home remedies

At-home treatments include applying ice or heat packs to your back, wearing a brace, and rest to allow tissue injuries to heal properly.

Spinal manipulations

Spinal manipulations use manual manipulation techniques to realign your spine and relieve low back pain naturally.

Massage

Massage is another natural treatment for low back pain. It helps relieve muscle tension and pressure on pinched nerves.

Physiotherapy

Completing injury-specific movements can strengthen and stretch your back and spine to prevent reinjury and reduce chronic pain.

Ultrasound

With ultrasound therapy, Dr. Le or Dr. Morgan uses sound waves to stimulate tissue healing and reduce chronic pain naturally without pain or downtime.

Spinal decompression

Spinal Stenosis and Disc Center, Inc. providers specialize in nonsurgical spinal decompression using advanced DRX 9000™ technology (spinal traction) to relieve nerve pressure and improve blood flow to damaged discs.

Steroid Injections

Cortisone or other pain-relieving injections help reduce inflammation and chronic lower back pain. Injections are not recommended for everyone. Dr. Le or Dr. Morgan will make the recommendation if they deem it necessary. Read our article about low back pain.

Don’t live with low back pain or undergo invasive surgical procedures when holistic pain-relieving treatments are available at Spinal Stenosis and Disc Center, Inc. Book your next appointment by phone or online today.