When Does Back Pain Mean Surgery?

Most of us hate hearing that we need surgery. However, sometimes, it’s the necessary step to take if conservative treatments haven’t worked for your debilitating pain. At Texas Spine and Sports Therapy Center, we have a neurosurgeon and orthopedic surgeon available for those who need spine surgery. So, when does back pain need to result in surgery? Here’s what you need to know. 

Spinal Health

The back is an intricate construction that combines bones, muscles, nerves, ligaments, tendons, and many other types of tissue in one complete system. Without your spine and the structures that support it, you wouldn’t be able to sit at your desk, walk your dog, or hug a loved one. However, many people don’t think about the health of their spine until they’re already in pain.

Back Pain

When you need help with your back pain, you have to start by noting all of your current symptoms. Did you know that many different irritations and inflammations fall under the category of ‘back pain’? Though this is the case, each irritation has its own likely set of causes. Narrowing down your symptoms to the regions they occur and what kind of pain you feel will help us work with you to test and diagnose your condition. 

Symptoms of Back Pain

Back pain is a common symptom of many different illnesses and conditions. From having the flu to being pregnant, all share back pain. Back pain can present as: 

• Inflammation centered in the low back (lumbar), neck (cervical), and mid-back (thoracic) regions
• Stiffness along the spine and muscles surrounding it
• Pops, cracks, and other noises or sensations when you move after resting
• Pain that is worse or better after resting
• Worsened or better after exercise
• Spasms throughout the back that make it hard to stand, sit, or lie down
• Numbness 

Who’s Most at Risk for Back Pain?

Are you hunched over reading this right now? The actions you make each day could be putting you at risk for back pain in the not-so-distant future. Many of these risk factors also irritate the back further causing more pain. Try to eliminate these bad habits:

• Poor posture, especially when you’re sitting down
• Pushing yourself to hard when exercising or doing manual labor
• Lifting heavy boxes or unbalanced loads
• Lifting with your back and not your legs
• Living a sedentary lifestyle that allows your back muscles to weaken
• Untreated depression or anxiety 

When Does Back Pain Mean Surgery? 

Harvard Health explains that for new back pain, you shouldn’t just jump to surgery. Try the following to relieve your back pain before you begin researching your surgical options: 

• Wait. Many times back pain will go away after some time all on its own. If you have severe pain with other symptoms you should of course see a doctor, but for mild pain you can try waiting it out at home. 
• Use ice and heat. If your back pain just started, icing can help numb the pain. Use ice the first use days, then, try heat for more comfort and to help get the blood flowing in the injured area again. 
• Take pain relievers as needed. Over-the-counter options like ibuprofen can help reduce inflammation and ease discomfort. 
• Stay physically active. You might need a couple of rest days to help your body heal, but don’t extend bed rest if you don’t have to. Keep moving as much as you can to keep your body functioning. 
• Stretch and exercise. As the initial intense pain subsides, introduce gentle stretches and strengthening exercises. Our team can walk you through the best ones for your condition and teach you how to do them properly.

Conventional Treatment Options 

If you don’t find relief with these at-home remedies, we offer conventional back pain treatment options like: 

• Spinal alignment therapy to straighten out slipped vertebrae and relieve pressure on discs
• Recommendations for braces or other support appliances to protect the back during activities that put it at risk
• Steroid shots to reduce pain in one specific area

Surgical Options 

However, if your pain just isn’t subsiding with these options, we have a neurosurgeon and orthopedic surgeon available to help with your condition. There are a few different types of back surgery, which include:

• Discectomy: which involves the removal of the herniated portion of a disk to relieve irritation and inflammation of a nerve. This involves a full or partial removal of the back portion of a vertebra to access the ruptured disc. 
• Laminectomy: which involves the removal of the bone overlying the spinal canal. This enlarges the spinal canal and is done to relieve nerve pressure caused by spinal stenosis.
• Fusion: a spinal fusion permanently connects two or more bones in the spine. It can relieve pain by adding stability to a spinal fracture. A fusion is usually done to eliminate painful motion between vertebrae that can result from a degenerated or injured disc. 
• Artificial discs: implanted artificial discs are a treatment alternative to a spinal fusion for painful movement between two vertebrae because of a degenerated or injured disc. 

Explore Your Options with Texas Spine and Sports Therapy 

If you are suffering from back pain, Dr. Shaner and the team at Texas Spine and Sports Therapy Center are ready to help. Texas Spine and Sports Therapy Center provides specialized treatment plans for back pain in Austin and can help you understand where your symptoms are coming from and what it will take to improve.

Call (512) 806-0015 today to schedule your consultation!