Back Pain Treatment in Madison, WI

If you’re struggling with back pain, you are not alone. Nearly 9 out of 10 Americans encounter this problem at some point, making it the second most common reason, after upper respiratory infections, for doctor visits. Among those under the age of 40, back pain is the main reason for individuals to miss work days as well as the primary cause of immobility, disabling approximately two percent of the American workforce at any given time.

If you’re experiencing any degree of spinal pain, seek a definitive diagnosis and effective treatment for back pain to ensure you can stay productive and active. Find back pain relief in Wisconsin at Pro Spine & Pain, your go-to source for cutting-edge back pain management techniques. Schedule an appointment today.

Your spine acts as the primary conduit for all sensations and movement in your body. The nerves, muscles, ligaments, bones, and cartilage in your back and spine are susceptible to disease and spine injury.

While various conditions can contribute to back pain, it commonly presents as:

• Sciatica: Characterized by pain signals that move along the path of the sciatic nerve, starting from the back and extending through the buttocks to the thigh. These types of pain usually affect only one side of the body.
• Lower back pain: Manifesting as a sudden, sharp pain or a persistent, enduring ache. Acute low back pain typically lasts from a few days to one month, while subacute pain ranges from four to 12 weeks. Chronic pain persists for over three months, with about one in five cases of acute pain developing into chronic pain.
• Upper back pain: Problems in this area are less common than in the lower back, but equally discomforting. It is typically focused on the shoulders and neck
• Middle back pain: Centered around issues with the thoracic spine, mid-back pain may indicate a range of issues, including strain, injury, or poor posture. Occasionally it can also point to a more serious underlying condition. For this reason, it’s essential to have any back pain examined by a specialist for a comprehensive diagnosis.

Back Pain Symptoms

Back pain can seriously hinder an individual’s daily activities and can take various forms depending on its location and underlying cause, such as:

• Persistent muscle aches
• Abrupt stabbing sensations
• Intense burning sensations down your leg
• Numbness and tingling extending down your leg
• Pain exacerbated by lifting, leaning, or prolonged standing
• Relief of pain when lying down

If you observe accompanying symptoms and side effects alongside your back pain, it is crucial to seek prompt medical attention, as they can imply more serious conditions.

These symptoms include:

• Loss of bowel or bladder control
• Fever
• Recent injury (including sports injury), fall, or accident

Back Pain Causes

Back pain can stem from many different causes, as there are many different types of back pain.

Some of the most common causes seen by doctors and physical therapists include:

• Herniated disc: The discs that cushion and separate vertebral bones can rupture, either due to damage or aging, causing the soft core to leak out and pinch a nerve, resulting in discomfort.
• Back injury: Accidents, falls, overexertion, and athletic strains are common culprits for back injuries.
• Spinal stenosis: With this painful condition, the spinal canal shrinks, compressing the spinal column and creating painful pressure on the spinal cord.
• Osteoarthritis: This is a common problem for older people in which the spine develops bone spurs and loses stability with accompanying stiffness, swelling, and loss of flexibility.
• Soft tissue strain: Repetitive movements at work or play, or sudden exertion leading to a pulled back, can strain or damage spinal ligaments or the muscles that support the back.
• Scoliosis: A congenital malformation of the spine in which the spine curves sideways. In later life, this condition manifests as back pain.
• Osteoporosis: A disease that develops over time as a result of changes in the structure and strength of bones. This degeneration and weakening of bones can eventually lead to spinal compression fractures.
• Post-laminectomy syndrome: Failed back surgery can result in continued or heightened back pain, weakness, numbness and/or tingling, and even impaired blood flow to the spinal cord.
• Spondylolisthesis: This condition involves the slipping of vertebrae, creating pressure on the nearby nerves. This condition can affect any part of the spine but is most commonly found in the lower back.
• Myofascial pain syndrome: Often a chronic condition, characterized by muscle tightness that responds well to physical therapy.
• Sacroiliac joint dysfunction: Damage to the joint connecting the pelvis and spine is a leading cause of lower back pain.

Treatment for Back Pain

If back pain is affecting your quality of life, the expertise of an expert back pain management specialist is essential. With years of experience in chronic back pain treatment, your Pro Spine & Pain doctor will conduct a thorough diagnosis using cutting-edge techniques.

This type of treatment for your problems will give you a personalized program, which may include remedies such as:

• Medications: This includes over-the-counter anti-inflammatories, steroid injections, narcotics, anti-depressants, muscle relaxants, and topical creams.
• Physical therapy: Involve posture improvement, electrical stimulation, strength exercises, use of a heating pad, and flexibility stretches to ease painful conditions.
• Surgery: Reserved for structural issues unresponsive to alternative treatments and considered as a last resort.

If you’ve had enough of back pain, seek the treatment necessary to get back to your normal day-to-day life. Get in touch with our specialist doctors who are the leading pack in back pain treatments in Wisconsin. Our Pro Spine & Pain experts are available at five convenient locations.