Back Pain pain can be classified into 2 different categories:1.) Acute pain or Chronic pain (greater than 6 months)2.) Central (axial) back/neck pain or Peripheral (radicular) radiating arm/leg pain. Some patients have both central and peripheral pain.Acute Pain: Possible causes include a new broken bone (vertebra) from injury or osteoporosis, bulging or herniated discs, nerve irritation from arthritis or degenerative conditions, and infection. This pain can be central, peripheral, or both.Chronic Pain: May be caused by previous injuries, arthritic or degenerative conditions including bulging discs, spinal or canal narrowing (stenosis), old fractures, and bone spurs. This pain may occur daily or intermittently and can interfere with activities of daily living. This pain can be central, peripheral, or both.
3 levels of treatment:
1.) Conservative treatments: These include physical therapy, bracing, steroid dose packs, and pain medications. Other options include acupuncture, massage therapy, and chiropractic treatments.
2.) Steroid Injections: These are performed by specialized physicians utilizing imaging (X-ray) guidance for needle placements. These include epidural steroid injections, selective nerve root blocks, facet (medial branch) joint blocks, denervations, and Sacro-iliac (SI) injections.
3.)Surgery
Used for patients who fail conservative treatments and injection therapies.
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