Your friends have just sent a text about heading out for an impromptu hike in the woods the next day. Normally, you’d be thrilled to join, but your chronic back pain prompts you to reply, “Maybe another time.” Later, your partner asks if you’d like to go play a quick round of golf after work. Sadly, your response is the same as before. Later that evening, you stoop down to grab a frying pan from a lower cabinet and wince with pain, stopped in your tracks by your inability to stand up.
When is it time to seek a back pain doctor in NJ? You’ll know it’s time when your normal, daily routine changes due to chronic back pain, and causes you to turn down activities that you normally find pleasurable. New Jersey spinal medicine and surgery is one of the most cutting-edge in the United States, and you’ll easily find a back pain doctor in NJ who specializes in advanced spinal care and back pain management.
What are Common Symptoms and Causes of Back Pain?
Back pain can make you feel isolated. Not only do you have to decline invitations that involve physical exertion, but you may also feel that you’re the only person who is suffering from this issue. According to WebMD, not only do millions of people suffer from back pain, but it is also the leading cause of disability in people under the age of 45. Common symptoms of back pain include:
- A muscle ache that is either dull and constant or intensifies with specific motions.
- Shooting or stabbing pain.
- Pain that travels or radiates down your leg.
- Pain that increases or worsens when bending, standing, walking, or lifting objects.
- Pain that decreases while reclining.
These symptoms are typical of back pain, and would warrant a call to a back pain doctor in NJ. However, the following are considered “red flag” symptoms in addition to back pain, and require immediate medical attention: fever, paralysis, incontinence, or an altered extremity sensation.
What are common causes of back pain? They can come from a muscle strain or sprain, herniated discs, a repetitive motion like swinging a tennis racket, your lifestyle and weight, or as a part of the aging process. No matter what the cause, back pain can indicate a health issue related to many of the body’s systems, and is worth a phone call to a back pain doctor in NJ. At Pain Treatment Specialists, our goal is to correctly diagnose the source of back pain and help patients avoid narcotics and surgery by creating a comprehensive treatment plan that manages pain and restores quality of life.
Where Can You Find Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery in NJ?
New Jersey spinal medicine and surgery offers a host of options for patients to explore minimally invasive spine surgery in NJ. A common misconception is that back pain leads to back surgery, which can be painful and involve a long recovery time. When beginning research to find ways to alleviate your chronic back pain, you first want to find a team of doctors who believe in pain management as the first, and best, course of treatment. At Pain Treatment Specialists, our staff of Ivy League-educated doctors are here to listen to your concerns about how chronic back pain affects your daily life, and work to create a pain management plan that allows you to return to the activities you enjoy. As pain management specialists, the board certified team at Pain Treatment Specialists prefer to use minimally invasive treatments over highly-complex surgical treatments.
Is There a Specific Doctor to See for Back Pain?
Having chronic back pain that significantly alters your daily life can be both emotionally and physically draining. With every movement, you’re reminded that something isn’t quite right with your back. After you’ve made the decision to find a back pain doctor in NJ, you’ll begin the process of narrowing down what doctor to see for back pain. Should you search for “laser back surgery in NJ”? What about a spine specialist in NJ, or the north spine institute? The board certified pain management specialists at Pain Treatment Specialists recommend that you work with them to develop a treatment plan that involves minimally invasive procedures. As interventional pain specialists, the team strives to provide relief from chronic back pain by utilizing cutting-edge technology and treatments that address your specific needs as a patient.
What Types of Minimally Invasive Treatments are Available for Back Pain?
The pain management specialists at the Pain Treatment Specialists are empathetic practitioners of interventional pain treatments. First, they will listen to your concerns, areas of pain, and limited activities due to back pain. Next, the team will identify one of their well-researched and cutting-edge pain relief options such as:
- Lumbar Radiofrequency Ablation: This treatment is highly effective for patients who experience lower back pain as a result of lumbar facet joint arthritis. By using electromagnetic waves that travel at the speed of light, the resulting heat energy precisely delivers pain relief to affected nerve endings. It is these nerve endings that are sending pain signals to the facet joints, which allows lumbar radiofrequency ablation to quickly and effectively treat lower back pain.
- Sacroiliac (SI) Joint Injection: Both a diagnostic tool and a therapeutic procedure, an SI joint injection provides relief and reduces inflammation in the SI joint. A special X-ray guides guides a local anesthetic into the sacroiliac joint, and if pain subsides, then it is confirmed that there is an SI joint issue, and the anesthetic provided substantial pain relief.
- Lumbar Epidural: Also known as an epidural steroid injection, a lumbar epidural combines a corticosteroid with a local anesthetic for pain relief. This is a minimally-invasive and effective way to treat sciatica and lower back pain.
It’s time to stop saying “Maybe another time” to friends and family and begin saying, “Can’t wait, see you there!” By exploring a back pain doctor in NJ, the possibility of a pain-free future provided by the Pain Treatment Specialists is just a quick phone call or message away!