Chronic Lower Back Pain Treatment

Musculoskeletal issues: Muscle and ligament strains or imbalances could contribute to the development of chronic back pain.

Nerve compression: When the spinal nerves do not have enough space, they become compressed, leading to pain and discomfort in the lumbar region.

Disc degeneration: The intervertebral discs can wear down as the spine ages, causing back pain. Injuries: Trauma from the workplace or sports injuries could cause severe damage to the spine, leading to long-lasting back pain. 

Injuries: Trauma from the workplace or sports injuries could cause severe damage to the spine, leading to long-lasting back pain.

Other medical conditions like arthritis, osteoporosis, or spinal stenosis could also be the underlying cause of chronic back pain.

Examine your family’s medical history for any signs of genetic predisposition to spinal issues. 

Perform a physical examination of your lower back area and legs. 

Perform imaging studies like X-rays, MRIs, and CTA scans. 

Perform additional diagnostic tests like blood tests or nerve conduction studies.

Conservative treatments are non-invasive procedures that use physical therapy or exercises to alleviate pain symptoms. To help reduce discomfort in the lumbar area, your healthcare providers may initially recommend trying treatment options, such as massage therapy, acupuncture, or chiropractic care.

These can be used along with other minimally invasive intervention options or non-opioid medication. Also, various lifestyle changes may significantly reduce pain. This can include performing low-impact exercises, keeping a healthy weight, using ergonomic chairs, and having good posture when sitting down.

Non-opioid medications recommended by your health specialist can help reduce spinal swelling and nerve pressure. These may range from the following options:

✔ Anti-inflammatory medications

✔ Muscle relaxants Antidepressants

Unlike local anesthetics, injections offer longer-lasting relief for patients with chronic back pain. As the medication is injected into the epidural space, it will flow all around your spinal cord, allowing the anesthetic to block pain signals:

✔ Steroid injections help provide quick inflammation reduction and symptom relief. They target the nerves that send pain signals into the brain, blocking them almost instantly.

✔ Facet joint injections are targeted into the joints located on the vertebra, which could be causing nerve compression.

These techniques interrupt pain signals sent to the brain:

✔ Radiofrequency stimulation to disrupt nerve signals

✔ Spinal cord stimulation to modify nerve activity and reduce pain perception

Neuromodulation uses electrical nerve stimulation to help reduce the lumbar stress caused by lower back pain. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), for example, involves the usage of low-voltage electrical currents to disrupt the transmission of pain signals.

On the other hand, peripheral nerve stimulation uses electrical stimulation to target peripheral nerves around the spinal cord.

When patients undergo a minimally invasive intervention, there is no need for complete anesthesia or complex surgical processes, and their recovery process is a lot faster. Some of the best minimally invasive interventions to treat chronic lower back pain include:

✔ Microdiscectomy: This procedure involves removing a portion of the damaged disc that is causing pressure on the spinal nerves, relieving pressure and alleviating pain.

✔ Laminectomy: This procedure partially removes the lamina (the arch in the vertebra) to release pressure and reduce pain.

✔ ZIP® Procedure: This spinal fusion technique provides significant pain relief for patients dealing with moderate to severe lumbar spinal stenosis and degenerative disc disease. It uses a minimally invasive approach to stabilize the spine without traditional open surgery.

Spinal Diagnostics is proud to be involved in the RESTORE Clinical Trial, a new and ongoing clinical research sponsored by Mainstay Medical. The study aims to prove further the safety and benefit of this exciting new therapy for chronic back pain patients.

You may be a good candidate for this trial if you have chronic back pain without significant radiating leg pain and have never had surgery. Please contact us if you are interested in participating in the trial.

Tualatin Clinic

Newberg Clinic