Back / Spine Pain

Overview

We are creatures who walk upright and we pay the price with an inherently unstable, vertical spine that is susceptible to injury and degeneration. Back pain is the most common reason people see their doctors or miss work. It is the leading cause of disability worldwide. Causes of back pain are numerous: injury, failed back surgery, nerve damage, muscle or ligament strain, disc degeneration, arthritis, osteoporosis, pressure on the spinal cord, and joint degeneration. You are at greater risk to develop back pain if you smoke, are overweight, do not exercise, use poor lifting technique and if you’re past middle age.

How Our Doctors Diagnose

In addition to a physical examination and thorough discussion of the pain you’re experiencing and your medical history, we have an array of tests and imaging to help diagnose the source of your pain: x-ray, MRI, CT scans, blood test (to detect infection or viruses), bone scan, discography, and nerve studies such as electromyography