We’re pleased to announce that Pain Physicians of Wisconsin is now Pro Spine Pain.
We’re pleased to announce that Pain Physicians of Wisconsin is now Pro Spine Pain.
Overuse and poor posture, such as too many hours hunched over a steering wheel, laptop, or phone, can trigger muscle strains. Even minor things like reading in bed or gritting your teeth can strain the muscles in your neck.
Just like all the other joints in your body, neck and back joints tend to undergo wear and tear with age, which can cause osteoarthritis of the spine.
Herniated discs or bone osteophytes can take up too much space in the spinal canal and press on the nerves branching out from the spinal cord.
Rear-end automobile collisions often result in neck and back injuries.
Neck and back pain can sometimes be caused by diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, tuberculosis, meningitis or cancer. Pain can also come from conditions directly affecting the muscles of the neck or back, such as fibromyalgia.
Neck and back pain is typically characterized by a dull aching. Movement will often exacerbate this discomfort. Associated symptoms may include numbness, tingling, tenderness, sharp shooting pain, pulsing, dizziness, or light-headedness.
Neck and back pain can also be linked to other issues, like headaches, facial pain, or pain in the extremities.
In case of injury, you should seek medical attention immediately without any delay. If there has not been an injury, you should seek medical care when your pain becomes:
Treatment of lumbar spondylosis depends on the symptoms and the areas of the spine that are affected. Our initial approach is physical therapy, which targets the strengthening of muscles that support the spine. If needed, our doctors may also prescribe medication such as NSAIDs, muscle relaxants, or antidepressants. Should the pain persist despite these measures, we may consider minimally invasive spine procedures based on the specific location of the pain or abnormality in your spine.
Home treatment includes applying heat or ice and using over-the-counter pain relievers. If these modalities don’t relieve your pain, you should then see a pain physician.
If the pain persists for several months, you should not waste any more time and contact a pain physician. The treatment options are defined by the exact cause of such a pain. The various options that are available are:
Neck and back exercises to strengthen the muscles and increase mobility and function. Physical therapy should not be recommended to treat acute conditions.
This includes a combination of nerve medicines, muscle relaxants and other pain medication which are prescribed depending on the exact cause of pain.
If a combination of physical and pharmacotherapy is unable to provide adequate pain relief, then we may recommend interventional pain management techniques, such as cervical epidural and trigger point injections. These techniques are safe, effective, and produce rapid recovery.
