What Type of Doctor is a Back Pain Specialist?
July 12, 2019
According to Statistica in a 2017 survey, 54% of adults experienced back or neck pain for five years or longer. Obviously, this is a very prevalent health issue in the United States. There were three main lifestyle reasons for back pain, as reported by the survey respondents: stress, weak muscles or lack of exercise, or physical work.
What Causes the Pain? Answers from Back Dr Specialists
- Muscle or Ligament Strain: Poor muscle strength can lead to muscle strain or damaged spinal ligaments. Heavy lifting, sudden movements or being overweight may be the cause.
- Damage to your Disks: The soft material in between your spinal disks can bulge or rupture and then cause a pinched nerve
- Arthritis: Osteoarthritis does affect the lower back. It can result in a narrowing of the space surrounding the spinal cord.
- Skeletal Irregularities: There are several diseases which alter the structure of the spine. A common one is scoliosis.
- Osteoporosis: This disease weakens the bones in your skeleton. Since the bones become porous and brittle, fractures can result.
What are some Lifestyle Solutions? Answers from Back Dr Specialists
- Weight Loss: Excess weight puts excessive strain on your musculoskeletal system.
- Exercise: Strengthening your core muscles will help support your spinal column.
- Healthy Diet: Include foods with calcium, such as dairy products, to prevent bone diseases.
- Take Care in Lifting: Use back supports or mechanical devices for lifting heavy objects, especially if this is a requirement of your employment.
- Sound Mental Health: People who suffer from depression or anxiety are prone to back pain.
Fortunately, many kinds of back dr specialists are trained to assist you with chronic pain. Each specialist can offer you a different solution.
Back Dr Specialists for Your Treatment
- Primary Care Physician: When you visit your family doctor, after you explain your symptoms, he or she will suggest a diagnosis and treatment options. Treatments can range from non-invasive methods to surgery. Your primary care provider will likely recommend prescription medication for pain and inflammation in addition to sessions with a physical therapist or chiropractor. Most people select these non-invasive methods to begin their treatment with the hope that these methods will alleviate the pain. Injections are a popular next step in care. Only after several approaches have been tried and still do not result in a satisfactory solution will you reach out to more invasive options. Your primary care physician may suggest a pain treatment clinic where you can access this range of treatments.
- Physical Therapists: A physical therapist will assist you with back pain through hands-on manipulation, specific exercises, education about your condition and advice to maintain a healthy spine.
- Chiropractor: Chiropractors use hands-on manipulation along with other non-invasive treatments to align the spine thus allowing the body to heal without the need for surgery.
- Osteopathic Physician: These doctors treat spinal injuries and illness while prescribing medications, using all of the technology available, and applying hands-on treatment. However, the focus of treatment will be the joints, muscles, and spine with an emphasis on healthy habits and disease prevention.
- Orthopedic Surgeons: Orthopedic surgeons or spine surgeons diagnose the cause of back pain, treat it through both nonsurgical and surgical methods. They also focus on rehabilitation and prevention of any further injury of the bones, joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, and skin.
- Pain Management Specialist: This is a physician who has specialized training in diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of pain. The back dr specialists of pain will have a variety of solutions to alleviate your condition. Usually, in pain treatment clinics, these doctors start with the least invasive treatments before suggesting injections or surgery.
Where Can I Access Help?
There are many locations for pain treatment clinics where you can consult with a pain doctor in New York or a pain doctor in New Jersey.
Key Concepts
- Back pain affects half of the population in the United States.
- There are many treatments available from non-invasive to surgery.
- Your family physician may recommend that you see a back dr specialist
Book a Consultation
Scheduling a consultation with one of our pain treatment specialists is one of the best ways to determine the proper solution for pain relief.