What conditions cause lower back pain?
Lower back pain can develop through wear-and-tear, overuse, trauma, or other injuries to your back. After the first couple of weeks of acute pain, lower back pain that lingers or gets worse is considered chronic lower back pain.
Possible causes of your lower back pain might be:
- Lumbar facet syndrome
- Sacroiliac joint dysfunction
- Sprains and strains
- Lumbar radiculopathy
- Sciatica
- Disc herniations
- Degenerative disc disease
- Spinal stenosis
- Bone spurs
- Fractures
- Fibromyalgia
- Arthritis
In many cases, lower back pain resolves on its own within 4-6 weeks. If you need to recover faster or get treatment for chronic pain that’s lasted more than three months, Elite Integrative Medical offers rehabilitation and regenerative medicine services to help.
Why does inflammation cause lower back pain?
In most cases of chronic lower back pain, inflammation can increase the severity and duration of your pain. When your body’s tissues are injured, your body produces a variety of chemicals to address the injury. Some of these chemicals create inflammation in order to trigger healing.
If your body doesn’t heal on its own, these inflammatory chemicals can linger in the area and cause swelling, stiffness, and pain. Your primary care doctor may recommend non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications to address the inflammation as well as other forms of treatment.
How is lower back pain diagnosed?
To diagnose the cause of your lower back pain, your provider begins with a thorough medical history and physical exam. During your exam, they take you through different movements to check your flexibility, muscle strength, and joint function.
Your provider may refer you for X-rays or an MRI, if appropriate. Based on your exam, they determine your diagnosis and treatment plan.
What treatments help lower back pain?
Depending on the cause of your lower back pain, you receive a customized treatment plan that may include:
- Rehabilitation
- Chiropractic adjustments
- Electrical stimulation
- Cold laser therapy
- Massage therapy
- Anti-inflammatory medications
- Steroid injections
You may have a combination of these therapies during each visit to give you the most benefit.
To find out if therapies can help your lower back pain, call Elite Integrative Medical, or schedule an appointment online now. View our lower back pain service page for more information on treatments.