Back pain is often a chronic condition that makes it more difficult to live your life without some form of discomfort or pain. Taking anti-inflammatories can deliver much-needed pain relief, but it doesn’t address what’s causing the problem. There are a number of causes of back pain, and addressing them requires an individualized approach to determine the origin of the pain and how to resolve it. One option for lasting relief is pain management in Carteret, NJ, at Prestige Pain Center!
How Back Pain Begins
Activity, age, and genetics all play a role in back pain. Participating in sports or performing a repetitive movement that involves your back can result in back pain. Age brings with it wear and tear on the spine and its supporting structures that aren’t easily resolved. A genetic predisposition to a particular condition can also cause pain due to its degenerative influences.
Taking a Look at Some of the Common Causes of Back Pain
Your body is put through a variety of strains and stresses every day of your life, and sometimes these factors prove too much for the body to bear. Other factors include chronic diseases that weaken your spine and soft tissues. Everyone who suffers back pain exhibits a certain set of symptoms, each requiring a specific approach from a medical professional, such as what’s provided by a physical therapist in Edison, NJ.
Accidents
An accident involves a sudden deceleration that flings your body forward, backward, or to either side. This physical reaction causes your body to overextend and results in injuries that include muscle tearing in the back and misalignment of the vertebrae.
Arthritis
Arthritis consists of inflammation in the joints that wears away at the cartilage and the bone, reducing the joint space and putting pressure on nerves. It can also cause bone spurs to form, which can hook into nerve roots as they exit the spine,
Sciatica
Sciatica is a general term that covers lower back, hip, and leg pain caused by one or more vertebrae pressing down on the sciatic nerve roots. The condition has multiple causes that have the same painful result.
Weak Muscles
Muscles that become weak through a lack of use are unable to properly support the back and allow the spine to fall out of alignment. This results in pressure being put on the nearby nerves and tissues, creating a painful condition.
Spinal Stenosis
Spinal stenosis is the result of the narrowing of the spaces in the spine that nerves travel through. It happens anywhere in the neck and back, and has different causes.
Repetitive Movement
People perform repetitive movements as part of their job, sport, or exercising on a daily basis. This puts strain on the spine and soft tissues, causing damage and pain that doesn’t resolve, even with rest, and the use of ice and analgesics.
Herniated Disc(s)
The spine relies on spongy sacs that are filled with fibrous tissue and fluid to maintain joint space while maintaining flexibility. These sacs, known as discs, can get torn and release the gel, causing them to deflate. The end result is the nearest vertebrae collapses onto the nerve root and results in pain and other related conditions.
What You Can Do to Get Relief for Your Back Pain
Treating back pain can require a multipronged approach to resolve the issue and provide long-term relief. At Prestige Pain Centers, our team of medical experts are capable of providing you with a diagnosis and supportive treatment to help you recover and get back to a higher quality of life. Contact us today to make an appointment for a consultation and learn more about what we can do for you.