Are you suffering with low back pain?

The back is the workhorse of the human body. The muscles and spine in the back are forced to twist and turn, bend and stretch all sorts of angles throughout the day. Depending on your job, your back may be pulling double-duty at times if constantly lifting heavy objects is involved. Add to this that most people don’t properly lift heavy items correctly, and there’s a recipe for potential future low back pain.

So what is low back pain?

Low back pain is muscle tension and/or stiffness in the area below the costal margin and above the inferior gluteal folds. Put plainly, it is pain experienced anywhere below the ribs and above the legs. One form of low back pain you may be familiar with is sciatica, but this condition can extend further down your leg.

4 Common Causes of Low Back Pain

Pain in the lower back area can be associated with issues of the lumbar spine, vertebral discs, spinal ligaments, or the spinal cord itself. But, it doesn’t stop there. The muscles and nerves of the lower back, as well as the organs located wherein, can also be a contributor, if not the source, of pain.

Considering the several moving parts of the back, there are numerous reasons you could be experiencing low back pain from a sports injury, car accident, fall or an existing medical condition that puts you at further risk of additional disorders.

Four common causes of low back pain are:

  1. Overuse. As the workhorse, the back is constantly put at potential risk for pain with constant, repetitive twisting of the spine and surrounding muscles. It only takes one wrong move to bend or twist too far, or lift a heavy object improperly, for an injury to occur.
  2. Aging. This one is universal. Everyone gets older and their body ages along with them. Through constant overuse as previously mentioned, coupled with the fact that wear-and-tear over the years, cartilage loss, and flexibility loss – to name a few – can severely limit what the body can do. Age takes it’s toll and the back may not be as forgiving as it once was.
  3. Herniated disc. A herniated disk refers to a problem with one of the rubbery discs between the vertebrae that stack up to make your spine. It is often called a “slipped disc.”
  4. Arthritis. If you’re suffering with painful inflammation and stiffness of the joints, this condition can spread into your lower back and cause problems there as well.

Lower Back Pain Relief at Texas Pain Relief Group

If you’re experiencing lower back pain, our advanced pain management treatments can help. Contact us now or schedule an appointment to see our pain specialists at Texas Pain Relief Group today!

CRPS: Recently Dr. Rodolfo Gari, Medical Director of Florida Pain Relief Group in Tampa, appeared on WFLA’s mid-day program called “DayTime” to talk about the symptoms and treatments related to CRPS, or Complex Regional Pain Syndrome.

Dr. Gari discusses the history of of the syndrome, going back to documented instances of chronic pain experienced by soldiers during the Civil War.

What makes CRPS unique is that the condition is a vicious cycle of chronic pain never reaches the brain and ends; rather, it goes in circles and never stops.

The pain specialists in Tampa with Florida Pain Relief Group have years of experience successfully treating patients who suffer from Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. You can schedule an appointment at our Tampa pain relief center locations in Tampa today.

Watch the video here:

Spinal Cord Stimulation: For patients who suffer from chronic pain in their limbs, neck and trunk, the options for pain relief can be limited. For some, pain medication works. But for others the effect is negligible and more aggressive treatment is required.

Among those treatment options that are available is what’s called Spinal Cord Stimulation.

“The spinal cord stimulator is an invasive implantable device for the treatment of chronic intractable pain in the limbs, neck Spinal Cord Stimulation,” said Dr. Jorge Leal, a Tampa pain specialist with Florida Pain Relief Group.

The Spinal Cord Stimulator process, a form of neurostimulation, is done by applying an electrical current to the source of pain creating a tranquil sensation that blocks the brain’s ability to sense perceived pain.

“I tell the patients that it works by ‘fooling’ the brain into believing that there is no pain,” Dr. Leal said. “First, a trial is performed and if successful, a permanent unit is implanted.”

This procedure is one that is commonly done for patients suffering from failed back surgery or Complex Regional Pain Syndrome.

“It is a last resort effort designed to treat pain that has not responded to conventional therapies, nerve blocks, etc. It is commonly described as a ‘pacemaker’ to the spinal cord,” Dr. Leal said.

In order to qualify for the procedure, a patient must first undergo a psychological evaluation.

Our Tampa pain specialists at Tampa pain relief center locations in East Tampa, North Tampa, and Carrollwood are experienced with the effective use of spinal cord stimulation to treat chronic pain. Schedule an appointment today.