There’s no need to let lower back pain keep you from enjoying your usual activities. You can turn to an orthopedic doctor in Miami to explore your lower back pain treatment options. Many people with back or neck pain find that non-surgical treatments are sufficient to relieve their symptoms. Your orthopedic doctor may recommend taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which are available over the counter in a prescription strength dosage.
You might think of your spine as being a solid structure, but actually, there are open passageways through which the spinal cord and spinal nerves extend. At the rear of each of your vertebrae, there is a large opening. This is known as the spinal canal. Sometimes, one or more of these spinal openings can become narrower than usual, which means the spinal nerves no longer have enough space.
Radiculopathy is a common condition that may involve lower back pain or neck pain near Miami. When the pain occurs in the neck, it is referred to as cervical radiculopathy. This condition is a dysfunction of the nerve root. Often called a “pinched nerve,” it occurs due to the compression or irritation of the nerve. This causes neck pain, along with pain that may radiate to the shoulder and down the arm.
For many patients, undergoing spine surgery near Miami dramatically improves their quality of life by resolving their painful symptoms and facilitating proper physical function. However, the spine is a highly complex structure and it is possible for some patients to experience persistent symptoms months after their initial spine surgery.
Lower back pain can sometimes be debilitating enough to interfere with your ability to carry out daily activities. When you consult an orthopedic surgeon regarding lower back pain treatment near Miami, he or she will first determine the underlying cause of your symptoms. If your symptoms include numbness, tingling, and muscle weakness down one of your legs in addition to back pain, you could have sciatica.
The spine naturally curves slightly; however, in some people, the curvature goes beyond a normal degree. If spine specialists near Miami have diagnosed you with kyphosis, it means that the upper spine has rounded forward. For many people with kyphosis, the only symptom of the condition is a slight hump on the upper back. Sometimes, a severe curvature can result in neck pain and lower back pain.
For many people with lower back pain, taking medications such as pain relievers and muscle relaxants provide sufficient relief of their symptoms. If these medications are not effective, an orthopedic doctor in Miami might recommend injections, such as steroids. With injections, the medication can be administered directly to the site of the injury.
If a spine surgeon near Miami has recommended that you undergo lumbar spine surgery as part of your lower back pain treatment, you may wish to learn a little about theanatomy of your lower back. Five of the 24 vertebrae in the spine form the lumbar region of the back. These vertebrae are larger than the rest because they must support more of the body’s weight.
Back surgery isn’t appropriate for all patients who suffer from back pain. Typically, spine specialists will only recommend surgery for those with severe or persistent symptoms that are not relieved through non-surgical methods. For patients who aren’t yet ready for back surgery or wish to avoid it altogether, appropriate back pain treatments in Miami may include a steroid epidural injection into the lumbar region of the spine. These injections may help patients with a range of back conditions, including disc herniation, degenerative disc disease, lumbar spinal stenosis, and compression fractures.
Following a surgery to treat back pain in Miami, patients generally expect that their symptoms will be eliminated or considerably improved. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. If you continue to experience persistent back or neck pain following a surgery, a spine surgeon might determine that you have failed back syndrome.
