Back Pain Treatment In New Jersey

Bedminster, NJ

Back pain is incredibly common; an estimated 4 in 5 Americans will be affected by back pain at some point in their lives. Injuries, diseases, and lifestyle choices can all contribute to back pain. At its worst, back pain can be chronic, debilitating, and life-altering.

Fortunately, there are several treatment options available for back pain, ranging from physical therapy and pain management to surgery. If you’re experiencing back pain, the doctors at New Jersey Spine Institute can help.

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Lower Back Pain

Your lower back is the part of your back located below your lowest rib and above your sacrum bone. The lower back consists of your lumbar spine (The L1 to L5 vertebrae), intervertebral discs, nerves, muscles, ligaments, and blood vessels. Lower back pain is quite common. You may experience lower back pain due to injuries to muscles or tendons, arthritis, fractures, and/or a number of other conditions. Most people experience lower back pain at some point in their lives. Clinicians divide lower back pain into three categories: Acute pain, subacute pain, and chronic pain. Aside from strains, sprains, fractures, and other injuries, there are several conditions that may cause lower back pain, including:

Sciatica:: A condition which occurs when the sciatic nerve has been pinched or injured. Sciatica is often caused by a herniated disc or bone spurs.
Lumbar Spondylolisthesis:: A condition in which one of your vertebrae slips out of place, moving on top of the vertebrae below it. There are several different causes of spondylolisthesis; the severity of the condition can vary dramatically depending on the cause.
Sacroiliitis:: An inflammation of the sacroiliac joints; these joints are located where the spine meets the pelvis. The condition is most often caused by arthritis.

Middle Back Pain

The middle back is an area which starts at your lowest rib and moves up to the base of your neck. The mid back consists of the thoracic spine (the T1 to T12 vertebrae), intervertebral discs, nerves, muscles, ligaments, and blood vessels. Middle back pain is somewhat rarer than low back pain or upper back (neck) pain. Injuries to the muscles and tendons, arthritis, and fractures can all cause pain in the mid back, as can a number of other conditions. Like low back pain, clinicians divide middle back pain into acute, subacute, and chronic. Several conditions can cause middle back pain, including:

Thoracic Radiculopathy:: This condition occurs when a nerve is pinched or injured in your mid back. The condition may be caused by diabetes, a herniated disc, spondylosis, and other health problems.
Thoracic Facet Syndrome:: This arthritis-like condition is caused when the facet joints in the spine deteriorate. This degeneration can be caused by wear and tear, physical trauma, repetitive strain, and more.
Kyphosis:: Kyphosis is a condition in which the upper back develops an excessive forward curve. Over time, the condition can lead to back pain, fatigue, weakness in the legs, and other complications.

Upper Back Pain (Neck Pain)

Your upper back and neck consist of the areas from the base of the neck, near the tops of your shoulders, to the base of your skull, above the jaw. Vertebrae C1-C7 are found in this area, along with intervertebral discs, nerves, muscles, ligaments, and blood vessels. Neck pain, shoulder pain, and upper back pain can all be linked to health conditions that affect this area of your back. Conditions affecting the upper portion of your thoracic spine can also affect your upper back.

Conditions That Can Affect Multiple Areas

Most health conditions that can affect your back aren’t limited to the upper, mid, or lower back. These conditions may be more commonly seen in some areas (often the lower back), but can be found anywhere in the back.

Scoliosis is an abnormal curve in the spine. The curve is usually S or C-shaped. The cause of most cases of scoliosis is unknown, though it’s believed to be a combination of environmental and genetic factors. Mild scoliosis may cause few or no serious health problems, while severe scoliosis can affect breathing and movement. Even mild scoliosis can cause stiffness, back pain, and other problems.

Pinched nerves can be caused by diabetes, herniated discs, spondylosis, and other back problems. They can cause pain, weakness, and numbness in the back and surrounding body.

There are discs between the vertebrae of your spine; they hold the vertebrae together and act as shock absorbers. The disc consists of a soft interior called a nucleus and a tough exterior known as an annulus. When the soft interior pushes out through a tear in the exterior, the disc is herniated. Herniated discs may cause weakness, pain, and other problems.

When the discs between your vertebrae wear down, the vertebrae themselves may start to rub together. This is the main hallmark of degenerative disc disease. The condition can lead to pain and many other problems, including stenosis, spondylolisthesis, and even adult-onset scoliosis.

Spondylosis is a general term for degeneration in the spine; degenerative disc disease and osteoarthritis can both be considered forms of spondylosis.

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The spine can be afflicted by many forms of arthritis, with osteoarthritis being the most common. Spinal arthritis can affect the facet joints or the sacroiliac joints. Causes of spinal arthritis vary but are most commonly caused by wear and tear, autoimmune disorders, or infections. Spinal arthritis can cause back pain, stiffness, limited mobility, and other problems.

Vertebrae fractures, sometimes simply called a broken back, generally occur as a result of physical trauma from accidents. There are several types of fractures and they can all cause significant pain and limited mobility.

There are tiny ridges of bone in your spine that link your vertebrae together; these bones are known as the pars interarticularis, or simply pars for short. When a fracture occurs in the pars, you have spondylolysis. Most commonly caused by physical trauma, spondylolysis can lead to pain, reduced mobility, and other conditions like spondylolisthesis.

Spinal stenosis occurs when one or more of the spaces within your spinal canal (that tunnel that runs through your spine containing your spinal cord) becomes narrow. This can lead to irritated, compressed, and pinched nerves. Bone spurs, herniated discs, and other problems can cause spinal stenosis.

Ankylosing spondylitis is a form of arthritis which can cause the vertebrae to fuse together. Symptoms include pain, stiffness, and rigidity in the spine.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Are the Symptoms of Back Pain?

The main symptom of back pain is acute or chronic pain; acute pain is sudden and often sharp, while chronic pain is long-lasting. When back pain is ignored, back pain symptoms can develop into numbness, weakness, and other symptoms, depending on the initial cause of the back pain.

What Are the Risk Factors for Back Pain?

Risk factors for back pain include age, genetics, weight, level and type of physical activity, psychological conditions, smoking (due to excessive coughing), and the presence of other diseases.

What Are the Causes of Back Pain?

Back pain can be caused by poor posture, muscle strain, genetic disorders, wear and tear over time, diseases (such as cancer and some forms of arthritis), injuries caused by physical trauma, abnormal curvature in the spine (scoliosis), and other conditions.

What Are My Back Pain Treatment Options?

The treatment options for back pain depend on the cause of the pain. Physical therapy, pain management, and treatment of the underlying causes of the back pain can all assist. In cases of severe pain, and when what’s creating the pain can’t be treated through other means, spine surgery, including some minimally invasive procedures, can help.

What Are the Possible Complications?

The complications of back pain vary depending on the root cause of the pain. Over time, back pain can lead to poor posture, weakness in the back and surrounding limbs, and other problems. Chronic back pain often limits movement and exercise and this can contribute to a higher risk of heart problems and other conditions.

What Is the Epidemiology of Back Pain?

Back pain is extremely widespread. One recent meta-analysis found that COVID-19 increased the impact of low back pain, and some figures estimate that 619 million people—about 10% of the world’s population, suffer from low back pain. Other studies have found that 23% of the world’s adults suffer from chronic low back pain, with lifetime prevalence reaching as high as 84% of adults.

Low back pain is the most common type of back pain; cumulatively, all types of back pain affect about 4 in 5 Americans at some point in their lives.

When Should I See a Doctor for Back Pain?

You should consider seeing a back pain doctor or spine specialist when:

Your pain is intense.
There are other symptoms, like numbness or weakness, accompanying your pain.
Your pain is adversely affecting your day-to-day life.
The pain has spread, and you’re experiencing arm pain, leg pain, or other pain in surrounding areas.
The pain is chronic or subacute—any back pain that has lasted for more than a few days, even if it’s mild, can be a symptom of a more serious condition.

What Are the Latest Advancements in Back Pain Treatment?

Treatment for back pain is constantly evolving. One new technique is the use of spinal cord stimulators, which, in simple terms, replace pain signals with different signals through the use of a mild electrical current through the spinal cord.

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