Known in the medical community as lumbago, back pain is extremely common and is normally the number one reason people visit a pain management center. The causes of this issue can be numerous such as being involved in an auto accident, sitting long hours at work or school with poor posture, straining muscles along the spine from sports or other activities, etc. When people are asked to explain how it feels, results can be anything from a feeling of generalized stiffness, to a slight discomfort or ache, all the way up to intense spasms along the spine making it impossible to stand or walk. Once you have made the decision to find some relief from your back pain in Jacksonville, you will be faced with a variety of options.
Locating the Exact Cause
Five people could walk into a clinic at the same time, each one suffering from spinal discomfort, but no single treatment will work for all five of them. It’s up to your physician to identify the problem area and let you know about potential options for treatment which will work best. Pain in the spine can often times radiate up through the shoulders, neck, and into the head causing migraines making a definite diagnosis difficult upon the initial examination. However, with the aid of both ultrasound and X-ray, a physician can easily take notice of slipped or pinched discs, strained muscles or ligaments, joint deformation, and more which could all be the cause of the discomfort.
Steroid Injections and Quick Relief
In order to get quick relief, the trouble spot must be directly targeted by the medication. While oral or topical medications can cause some relief, it takes time for the medication to travel through your system and reach the spine. With cervical and lumbar injections, a physician can inject the medication directly into the joint, nerves, or disc. This eliminates the time needed for the steroid or anti-inflammatory to make the rounds in your bloodstream. In addition to injections, some back pain may be reduced by spinal stimulators. This implanted device delivers electrical impulses to the nerves which instantly stop the pain receptors from telling your brain something hurts. This procedure is somewhat rare, and should only be considered when other treatments have failed or when severe neuropathic pain is present. Always be sure to discuss the various options with your doctor, and never be afraid to ask questions.
