Back Pain Treatment

Understanding Back Pain

 

Back pain is a common condition that affects millions of people worldwide. At Desert Spine and Sports Physicians, we recognize its significant impact on daily life and overall well-being. Our team of Board-Certified Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) specialists is dedicated to helping you understand, manage, and overcome your back pain.

 

Causes of Back Pain

Back pain can stem from various sources, including:

 

  • Herniated discs
  • Degenerative disc disease
  • Facet joint arthritis
  • Annular fissures
  • Sacroiliac joint dysfunction
  • Muscle strains and ligament sprains

 

Back pain can be acute, lasting a few days to weeks, or chronic, persisting for three months or longer.

 

Symptoms of Back Pain

Back pain can manifest in various ways, including:

 

  • Dull, aching pain in the back
  • Sharp, localized pain
  • Muscle spasms and tightness
  • Pain that radiates down the legs (sciatica/radiculopathy)
  • Stiffness and limited range of motion

Diagnosing Back Pain

 

At Desert Spine and Sports Physicians, our expert Physiatrists employ a comprehensive approach to diagnose the root cause of your back pain. To do this, we utilize:

  1. Thorough spine and musculoskeletal evaluations
  2. Detailed medical history review
  3. Advanced diagnostic tools, including:

 

Our expertise in these diagnostic methods allows us to pinpoint the exact source of your pain with precision. This accurate diagnosis is crucial for developing an effective, personalized treatment plan that addresses your needs and goals.

Non-Surgical Treatment Options for Back Pain

 

Physical Therapy

We develop customized exercise programs to help patients strengthen core muscles, improve flexibility, and enhance their overall spine health.

 

Interventional Procedures

  • Epidural Steroid Injections: These injections deliver anti-inflammatory medication into the space around your spinal nerve (the epidural space). They’re particularly effective for treating compressed or irritated nerves caused by disc herniation, arthritis, and spinal stenosis. These injections can relieve pain and improve function by reducing inflammation.
  • Radiofrequency Ablation: Facet joints are small joints between each vertebra, allowing spine mobility. Medial branch nerves supply innervation to the facet joints and can be blocked with numbing medicine to help diagnose the source of pain. These blocks pave the way for radiofrequency ablation (RFA), where heat is applied to these nerves to provide long-term relief from pain related to facet joint arthritis.
  • Sacroiliac Joint Injections: The sacroiliac (SI) joints connect your spine to your pelvis. SI joint injections can help diagnose and treat pain originating from this area, often felt in the lower back, buttocks, groin, or upper leg. These injections can particularly benefit patients with SI joint dysfunction or osteoarthritis. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) can also be injected into the SIJ for longer-term pain relief compared to steroid injections.
  • Selective Nerve Root Blocks: A selective nerve root block (SNRB) involves using a fluoroscopic-guided injection to place a temporary anesthetic (numbing) medication around a particular nerve root. By confirming or denying the source of a patient’s typical pain, this injection provides information allowing for proper treatment.
  • Kyphoplasty: This minimally invasive procedure treats painful vertebral compression fractures. During kyphoplasty, a balloon is first inserted and inflated in the fractured vertebra to restore height, followed by an injection of bone cement to stabilize the fracture. This procedure can provide significant pain relief and improve mobility for patients with osteoporosis-related spinal fractures.
  • Regenerative Therapies: Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections can provide relief for certain patients experiencing back pain, particularly when the pain results from sacroiliac joint arthritis or facet joint arthritis; PRP can also be used for degenerative disc disease.

 

Non-Opiate Medication Management

When appropriate, we may recommend targeted medications to manage pain and inflammation.

 

Lifestyle Modifications

Our team works with you to identify and modify activities contributing to your back pain. This can include ergonomic improvements at work, changes to your exercise routine, or adjustments to daily habits that impact spine health. We may recommend specialized supportive devices to alleviate pain, improve posture, and prevent further injury during daily activities or specific exercises.

Why Non-Surgical Treatments for Back Pain?

 

At Desert Spine and Sports Physicians, we emphasize non-surgical treatments for back pain for several important reasons:

 

  • They are often highly effective in managing and resolving pain.
  • They come with fewer risks compared to surgical procedures.
  • They address the root cause of pain rather than just alleviating symptoms.
  • They can help you avoid unnecessary surgery and its potential complications.
  • They promote long-term spine health, reducing the likelihood of future problems.

 

We aim to offer the most effective, minimally invasive treatment options to help you regain a pain-free, active lifestyle.

Why Choose Desert Spine and Sports Physicians for Back Pain Treatment?

 

When you choose Desert Spine and Sports Physicians for your back pain treatment, you select a team of dedicated professionals committed to your well-being. Our physicians are Board-Certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Fellowship-trained in Interventional Spine and Musculoskeletal Medicine. They serve as doctors of function, offering unparalleled expertise in non-surgical spine care to help patients regain function and reduce pain.

 

We provide comprehensive, personalized treatment plans tailored to your specific condition, lifestyle, and goals under one roof for coordinated, efficient care. Connect with our specialists to discover the difference in our approach.

Phoenix Office

3700 N 24th Street, Ste 210.

Phoenix, AZ 85016

Mesa Office

6634 E. Baseline Rd., Suite 101

Mesa, AZ 85206

Scottsdale Office

8670 E Shea Blvd Suite 102

Scottsdale, AZ 85260

Gilbert Office

3615 S Rome St.

Gilbert, AZ 85297

Peoria Office

13128 N 94th Drive, Suite 200

Peoria, AZ 85381

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