What is Chronic Back Pain?
Chronic back pain is typically referred to as pain that persists longer than 6 months, sometimes ongoing for years.
It’s thought that this happens because nerves become damaged, and the receptor nerve cells that send the signals to the spinal cord are overactive. This pain is intense and long lasting, but unfortunately most of us are susceptible to back pain at some point or another, and this could happen to anybody – triggered usually by an injury or underlying condition.
It can put a real damper on your day though – limiting your mobility, preventing sleep, and more. Whether you’re struggling to get around due to an injury or you’re in chronic pain, speaking to a licensed professional can help you regain your life.
What Causes Chronic Back Pain?
Back pain, whether acute or chronic, is one of the most common reasons for a trip to the doctor – but it’s actually a symptom of an underlying problem that your healthcare provider can help you identify.
It’s important to seek the proper medical attention because the cause of chronic back pain can be tricky to identify without diagnostic testing. This is especially true because the back and spine is such a complex structure; made up of bones, muscles, nerves, and tendons.
Some examples of conditions that could cause chronic pain are:
- Injury/Illness
- Arthritis
- Normal Aging
What Are The Symptoms of Chronic Back Pain?
Chronic back pain is going to feel very similar to non-chronic, or acute, back pain – it could manifest as aching, limited range of motion, or sharp stabbing pain. Chronic pain, however, will not dissipate over the course of a few weeks, or with normal rest and recuperation.
If your pain has lasted for longer than even two weeks, we would recommend seeking care.
What Are My Treatment Options for Chronic Back Pain?
It’s crucial that you see a licensed medical professional to ensure your pain is properly managed, while also finding the source of your pain. This is the quickest and easiest way to reclaim your life and ease of movement.
Some of the ways your doctor may treat your pain are:
- Trigger point injections – Trigger point injections can help soothe muscle pain in your back, by injecting pain relief into the ‘trigger points’ of your muscle.
- Steroid injections – Depending on the cause of your pain, steroid injections can help limit and bring down inflammation and ease pain.
- Radiofrequency Ablations – This is a nonsurgical procedure making use of radiofrequency waves, targeting nerves sending the pain signals – interrupting them, and limiting or preventing pain.
Frequently Asked Questions about Chronic Back Pain
1. How can I relieve pain in my back?
While many forms of back pain can be treated at home, it’s important to remember that chronic pain (we would really recommend anything persisting longer than 2 weeks) should be treated by a medical professional. Schedule a consultation today!
2. How can I fix back pain at home?
For mild back pain, at home treatments include: plenty of rest and applying ice to the location of pain in 20 minute increments throughout the day. For chronic pain, we strongly recommend you seek the care of a professional.
