Low Back Pain

What causes low back pain?

Low back pain is very common and can stem from a wide range of injuries and degenerative conditions, including:

• Muscle strain
• Connective tissue injuries
• Nerve impingement
• Arthritis
• Spinal stenosis
• Herniated disc
• Compression fractures
• Scoliosis

Your risk of low back pain increases if you’re overweight, have a sedentary lifestyle, or if you have a physically demanding job. Your risk also increases as you age and the discs that cushion your vertebrae become dry and vulnerable to injury.

For example, if you don’t get enough physical activity, your back and core muscles may not be strong or flexible enough to support your spine, making you vulnerable to injury. Alternatively, if you have a career that keeps you on your feet and requires you to lift and move heavy objects, you risk injuring your back with repetitive motions or poor lifting technique. 

What is sciatica?

Sciatica is the name for the group of symptoms caused by compression of your sciatic nerve, including:

• Low back pain
• Pain that radiates down one or both of your buttocks and legs
• Numbness and tingling sensations in one or both legs
• Muscle weakness
• Loss of balance

Sciatica is usually due to a herniated disc in your lower spine. Your sciatic nerve starts in your lower back. It splits, running down the back of both of your buttocks and legs, which is why you may have symptoms in your legs as well as your low back.

How is low back pain treated?

Republic Spine and Pain doctors begin with thorough medical exams to identify the condition causing your low back pain. They often use X-rays, MRIs, and nerve conduction studies to pinpoint the location of the injury or disease at the root of your pain. 

Republic Spine and Pain offers a comprehensive range of treatments for low back pain, including:

• Epidural injections 
• Trigger point injections
• Sympathetic ganglion blocks
• Selective nerve root blocks
• Facet joint or medial branch nerve blocks
• Radiofrequency nerve ablation
• Discography
• Intrathecal injections
• Spinal infusions
• Percutaneous disc decompression
• Vertebroplasty/kyphoplasty
• Physical therapy

Republic Spine and Pain also offers spinal cord stimulators and Vertiflex® Superion® devices to reduce low back pain and help you get back to your regular activities. 

Your doctor incorporates carefully selected therapies into your personalized treatment plan. They have three goals for you: Pain relief, improved overall health, and restored quality of life. 

If you have low back pain that’s interfering with your quality of life, call Republic Spine and Pain or make an appointment online today.