Back pain includes any discomfort that affects your back. Though back pain may involve any part of your back, most people experience pain in their lower back (lumbar spine).

That part of your back supports the weight and movement of your upper body. The stress placed on the lower part of your back makes it more vulnerable to injury and diseases that cause pain.

Back pain may be acute, lasting a few days or a few weeks. However, acute back pain can turn into chronic back pain, lasting three or more months.

The team at Southern Idaho Pain Institute understands the burden of pain, especially chronic back pain. They aim to find the source of your discomfort to provide the most effective treatment.

You can develop back pain from an acute injury such as a bad fall or lifting a heavy item. Back pain may also occur from age-related changes to your spine. 

Common causes of back pain include:

• Sprains and strains
• Sciatica
• Degenerative disc disease
• Bulging or herniated disc
• Kyphosis
• Scoliosis
• Spinal stenosis
• Spondylolisthesis
• Spinal arthritis
• Muscle spasm
• Nerve impingement (radiculopathy)
• Fracture

These back pain conditions may cause a wide range of symptoms, including pain that radiates into your legs, as is the case with sciatica.

You can expect a thorough examination when you visit Southern Idaho Pain Institute for a back pain evaluation. 

Your provider asks detailed questions about your symptoms, including the location and severity of your pain and the activities that make it worse or better. They review your medical history and perform a physical examination.

The team may run diagnostic tests to confirm or rule out the cause of your back pain, such as blood work, an X-ray, MRI, or CT scan. They may also perform a discography.

The Southern Idaho Pain Institute team customizes your back pain treatment plan based on the cause and severity of your symptoms. The team uses many pain management tools to help you get relief, including:

• Analgesics or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
• Heat and ice
• Stretching 
• Physical therapy
• Epidural injections
• Facet joint injections
• Nerve blocks
• Trigger point injections
• Radiofrequency ablation
• Spinal cord stimulator
• Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy

The team performs minimally invasive treatments, such as epidural injections and radiofrequency ablation, at their state-of-the-art ambulatory surgical center.

With the pain management specialists at Southern Idaho Pain Institute, you can get relief from your back pain. Call the office or schedule an appointment online today.