Does Chronic Back Pain Always Need Surgery?

Is your chronic back pain becoming the bane of your life? That makes you part of a large group, because chronic back pain is a leading cause of workplace disability, the top cause of lost workdays, and a leading cause of trips to the doctor’s office. 

Orthopedic practices have a number of solutions for your back pain depending on the reason for it. 

Our board-certified orthopedic surgeons at Delta Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine diagnose and treat your back pain with state-of-the-art techniques that give you relief from burning, aching, or throbbing pain that can extend from your back into your legs. 

Whether you need surgery depends on your diagnosis and the severity of your condition. If you need surgery, we refer you to a qualified spine surgeon. 

We can treat many types of chronic back pain successfully with conservative and minimally invasive methods. Following are some nonsurgical methods that can treat many cases of back pain effectively. 

Epidural steroid injections 

Many cases of chronic back pain result from nerve compression or degenerated spinal discs. If you’re diagnosed with spinal stenosis, your spinal canal has narrowed, putting pressure on your spinal nerves. Nerve pain can be excruciating. 

Perhaps you have a herniated disc, a common condition causing back pain. A disc between  your vertebrae may have ruptured or slipped out of place, applying pressure on your spinal nerve. 

We may treat these and other back conditions that have a similar etiology with an epidural steroid injection. With the guidance of X-rays and contrast dye, we insert a needle containing the steroid and a local anesthetic into the epidural space in your spine. 

The epidural injection works differently in each individual. The pain relief it offers you may be temporary, long-term, or permanent. 

Physical therapy 

Physical therapy is the gold standard in the treatment of chronic back pain. It helps stretch soft tissue that has contracted into a tight, painful position. Physical therapy can help break up scar tissue that constricts movement. 

You may have lost range of motion, perhaps making it difficult to bend down or turn your body. Your therapist uses techniques to correct spinal misalignment that is putting pressure on your soft tissue and nerves. 

Regenerative medicine 

Your back condition has likely produced inflammation because the nerves, joints, and/or discs are irritated or damaged. 

Regenerative medicine such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and stem cell therapy rush masses of cells with healing properties to the site of your inflammation, soothing irritated nerves and tissue. The stem cells or PRP contain fresh nutrients that help heal damage at the site. 

Medication 

Medication has side effects, so we want you to use it only temporarily, if possible. Muscle relaxants and prescription nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can calm a painful flare-up in conjunction with other treatments.

Weight loss 

If you’re overweight or obese, we counsel you to gain help in reducing your weight. Excess weight puts severe pressure on your spine and can lead to premature joint degeneration. When you lose weight, you notice a difference in your pain levels. 

Call Delta Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine or book an appointment online if you have chronic back pain. We have offices in West Memphis, Arkansas, and Collierville, Tennessee, and we can find the root cause of your pain and develop a treatment plan that works. Contact us today.