Did you know that spine pain is one of the most common causes of missed days of work? It’s a true pain that most people experience at one time or another.
In many cases, pain and discomfort affecting the spine go away on their own or after basic at-home care, including rest and the application of heat or cold. Sometimes, though, further treatment is needed to resolve the underlying health condition causing pain. Keep reading to learn when surgery might be the solution.
What spine pain feels like
This is where things get interesting! Spinal pain can be felt in a lot of different ways. That’s partially because there are distinct parts of the spine—the lumbar region, for instance, includes your lower back, and the cervical region includes your neck.
In total, there are four spine regions, with the two listed above being the most common sources of pain. Less frequently, pain may also be felt in the thoracic spine, the rigid area including the upper and middle back.
In addition to occurring in different parts of the spine, the actual pain may be experienced differently. Spine-related discomfort can be sharp, dull, pressure-like, or radiating. Other symptoms may also accompany pain:
- Inability to manage proper posture
- Loss of motor function
- Muscle spasms
- Numbness or weakness
- Stiffness or restricted range of motion
- Tingling sensation
If you’re experiencing discomfort that seems to be related to your spine, try to pay attention to how you’re feeling it. The more details you can share with your medical provider, the better. Understanding your discomfort can help your provider make an accurate diagnosis.
The causes of spine pain
Neck or lower back pain can have many causes. The location and function of the lumbar and cervical spine mean that these parts of the body are weight-bearing and required for many movements. Because of that, they’re under a good deal of stress.
These parts of the spine are prone to both muscle strain and ligament sprains. While these two injuries affect the lower back or neck in different ways, they can both cause surrounding soft tissue to become inflamed, creating additional discomfort and other symptoms.
Other potential causes of spine pain include:
- Arthritis
- Cancer
- Degenerative disc disease, which causes the spinal discs to break down
- Disc herniation, sometimes called a herniated disc, which is an injury to the disc between vertebrae
- Fractures
- Nerve compression
- Osteoporosis
- Sciatica, which occurs when a herniated disc pushes down on the sciatic nerve
- Scoliosis, which is a curvature of the spine
- Spinal stenosis, which is a narrowing of the spinal canal
- Spondylolisthesis, which is the displacement of a spinal vertebra
- Trauma
Less commonly, certain infections, such as meningitis, can also cause spine pain.
How spine pain is treated
The first step toward treating spine pain is determining the underlying cause of the pain. In many cases, pain is initially treated using conservative treatment options such as medication.
There are many different types of medication that may be helpful, including pain relievers and anti-inflammatories available over the counter, as well as prescription muscle relaxers, anti-inflammatories, pain relievers, and drugs that change how the nervous system processes pain. Medications may be taken orally, applied topically, or given in an injection.
Other treatment recommendations may include:
- Application of cold or heat to the affected area
- Complementary therapies such as acupuncture or electrical nerve stimulation
- Physical therapy or at-home strengthening exercises
- Posture training
Healthy lifestyle habits can also help alleviate pain and prevent it in the future. This includes exercising regularly, getting enough quality sleep, eating a healthy diet, and not smoking.
When you might need surgery for spine pain
In cases where the measures above don’t provide relief or your pain lingers for longer than three months, surgery may be recommended. It may also be recommended as a more permanent solution to treat the underlying cause of your spine pain or if parts of the spine are unstable.
The specific type of surgery recommended will depend on what’s causing your discomfort. In the past, there were relatively few options for surgical treatment of spine pain, but these days, there are many different procedures to repair damage or defects.
Surgical procedures such as spinal fusion, disc replacement surgery, and discectomy are now providing patients with relief from spine pain. Research has found that surgery can be particularly helpful for those with herniated discs, spinal stenosis, and spondylolisthesis.
Wondering whether surgery is right for treating your spine pain? While you should talk with a medical provider about any symptoms you’re experiencing, it’s especially important to do so in a few situations:
- If you are experiencing numbness and tingling
- If you have pain along with difficulty urinating, weakness or numbness in the legs, fever, or unintended weight loss
- If your pain is severe and doesn’t improve with medication use
- If your pain is the result of a fall or accident
These can all be indicators of a more serious injury or illness as the cause of your spine pain. It’s important to have your symptoms checked out, since more immediate treatment may be needed.
Once the cause of your spine pain has been diagnosed, your care team can provide a recommended treatment plan, which may include surgery. Your treatment plan will be personalized to meet your specific needs based on your condition, the severity of your pain, and other factors.
Next steps
Interventional Pain Medicine specialists at Northeast Georgia Physicians Group provide a full spectrum of treatment options for spine pain, including surgery when needed. Call 770-848-2225 to learn more or schedule an appointment.