Back Pain Specialist

What is back pain?

Back pain includes any discomfort that affects your back. Though you can develop back pain in any part of your back, it most often occurs in the lower back or lumbar spine. 

Your pain may be dull and achy or sharp and severe. The pain may develop after an acute injury and go away after a few days or a few weeks. However, your acute pain may turn into chronic back pain, lasting three or more months.

What causes back pain?

Back pain most often occurs because of changes in the structure of your back or spine, affecting normal movement and function. Common causes of back pain include:

• Strains and sprains
• Disc problems (e.g., slipped disc, herniation, or degenerative disc disease)
• Arthritis
• Pinched nerve
• Sciatica
• Spinal stenosis
• Skeletal abnormalities such as scoliosis
• Osteoporosis

Back pain may also develop because of problems related to other weight-bearing joints such as your hips, knees, or ankles. 

When should I get help for back pain?

Though back pain may resolve on its own within a few days of at-home care, you should schedule an appointment with the pain management experts at Doctors United if your pain is severe, interferes with your daily routine, or fails to improve within a few days.

Doctors United provides care for all types of back pain conditions, including back pain that develops from a car accident injury or a work injury covered by workers’ compensation. 

When you come in for care, the specialists in orthopedics at Doctors United conduct a thorough clinical exam to find the root cause of your back pain to develop the most effective treatment plan. 

How is back pain treated?

Doctors United is a multi-specialty practice with physicians that specialize in many areas of medicine. Treatment for your back pain may depend on the underlying cause, the severity of your symptoms, and your medical history.

Your orthopedic expert at Doctors United directs your back pain treatment plan, which may include:

• Activity modification
• Medications to manage pain
• Physical therapy
• Joint injection
• Chiropractic care
• Physical medicine and rehabilitation
• Referral to the neurologist to look for nerve involvement

Doctors United also has a social worker to provide counseling to support the psychological effects of chronic back pain.

When medical interventions fail to ease your back pain, your orthopedic physician may talk to you about your surgical options.

For back pain relief, call Doctors United or schedule an appointment online today.