Back Pain
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Pain Physicians of Indiana
Interventional Pain Management Specialists located in Merrillville, IN
Around 31 million Americans experience low back pain. At the Pain Physicians of Indiana, P.C., in Merrillville, Indiana, caring physician Tarek H. Shahbandar, MD, can determine the cause of your back pain and provide various effective treatments, such as spinal cord stimulation, percutaneous disc decompression, and education about healthy lifestyle changes. Dr. Shahbandar can help you figure out the best treatment for you, so you can perform daily functions free from pain and improve your musculoskeletal system. Call the Pain Physicians of Indiana, P.C., or schedule online.
Back Pain Q & A
What are the causes of back pain?
Back pain is one of the leading global causes of disability and missed work. The multiple causes of back pain are often related to inflammation of the joints and nearby muscles and ligaments. Most adults deal with back pain at least once in their lifetimes.
Other causes of back pain include:
- Arthritis
- Osteoporosis
- Poor posture
- A break, fracture, or injury
- Pregnancy
- Obesity
- Sciatica
- Disc degeneration
Acute pain refers to back pain that shows up suddenly and lasts no more than six weeks. Chronic back pain lasts around three months or longer.
You might also experience stabbing or shooting pain, muscle aches, pain radiating down your leg, and pain that gets better with reclining. Your pain might worsen with walking, standing, lifting, or bending.
What are the risk factors for back pain?
Insufficient exercise, obesity, aging, and improper lifting are risk factors that can heighten your chance of developing back pain. Psychological conditions like anxiety and depression and chronically high levels of stress hormones might also be involved.
Both genetic and environmental factors might be involved with back pain. Smoking tobacco is also a risk factor since it decreases blood flow to your lower spine, slows healing, and prevents your body from delivering enough nutrients to the discs in your back.
What are the treatments for back pain?
To determine the cause of your back pain, Dr. Shahbandar might utilize various testing and imaging methods. Depending on the type, severity, and cause of your back pain, Dr. Tarek Shahbandar might recommend one or more of the following treatments:
- Lifestyle modifications, such as optimal nutrition and appropriate regular exercise
- Spinal stimulation
- Epidural steroid injections
- Selective nerve root blocks
- Radiofrequency neurotomy
- Intrathecal pump
- Percutaneous disc decompression
- Limited use of medications, such as pain relievers and anti-inflammatories
Dr. Shahbandar helps you choose the right treatment approach to alleviate your pain. Many treatments are centered around injecting or delivering medicines to the specific area that’s causing you pain. When Dr. Shahbandar gets to the root of the problem, he can diminish your pain with proven-successful methods like selective nerve root blocks.
If back pain is an obstacle on your road to happiness and good health, call the Pain Physicians of Indiana, P.C., office or book an appointment online today.
