7 Reasons to See a Back Pain Doctor in NYC
April 16, 2020
Signs You Should Visit a Back Pain Specialist in NYC
Back pain is a common nuisance. Almost 50% of working Americans suffer through back pain each year, and 80% of Americans have experienced back pain at least once in their lives. Luckily, most back pain doesn’t require urgent medical attention, and many cases resolve on their own. But for others, back pain is either severe, chronic, debilitating, or a sign of a deeper issue. How do you know whether to see a back pain doctor or wait it out to see if it goes away? Here are 7 signs to look for.
1. Muscle Aches and Spasms That Don’t Relent–It’s normal for backs to occasionally spasm after a long car ride, a tough workout, or too much time at your desk. But if the spasm doesn’t pass quickly or leaves you laid up in bed, give your back pain specialist a call.
2. Shooting or Stabbing Pains–Sharp pains can indicate a more serious issue, or even an issue with organs nearby. If the pain makes you double over and doesn’t pass quickly, visit a back and spine specialist promptly.
3. Pain Spreading from the Back Down the Legs– Pain that radiates is not only a symptom of back injury, it’s also a hindrance to productivity. Call your back specialist for an appointment to determine the cause of pain.
4. Excessive Pain with Movement–If bending, walking, standing, or lifting causes excessive pain, it’s time to book an appointment with a back specialist. It’s important to cease the activity that triggers pain until your back doctor finds the source.
5. Weakness, Numbness, or Tingling of Legs– It might not occur to you that symptoms in your legs like numbness and tingling can be linked to your back. If you experience any sudden weakness in your legs, call a back and spine doctor today.
6. Back Pain Accompanied by Fever– Some patients think fever and back pain are two separate issues, but they can be related when infection or cancer ensues. Call your back specialist in NYC if fever accompanies backache.
7. Bowel or Bladder Problems with Back Pain–Bowel and bladder problems are sometimes linked to aging. But when they are accompanied by back pain, further investigation is required. Incontinence and the inability to pass stool or urine both warrant a trip to your back pain specialist in New York City.
How a Back Pain Specialist in New York City Finds a Solution
There are many types of pain doctors, including narcotics prescribers and surgeons .But pain intervention specialists, like the Ivy League educated physicians at Pain Treatment Specialists seek to prevent surgery and opioid dependence. Our board certified doctors utilize state-of-the-art technology and innovative techniques for non-invasive pain management. Unlike primary care doctors and orthopedic surgeons, we take the time to determine the cause and offer quick and effective treatment options.
It’s essential to do a thorough investigation, since back pain stems from many sources. In addition to issues with the back, upper back pain can indicate an issue in the chest, heart, major blood vessels, cervical spine, nerves, or lower neck. Lower back pain can be caused by the lumbar spine, sacrum, kidneys, abdominal organs, pelvic organs, spinal cord, or nerves. Your back pain doctor in NYC needs to be sure they know the cause before administering a solution. Here are some methods the doctors at Pain Treatment Specialists employ:
- We take an extensive medical history to determine concurrent conditions.
- We examine prior tests and imaging and order more as needed.
- We discuss what you have tried and what you seek to gain from treatment.
- We form a lasting relationship with follow-up after procedures.
- We draw on extensive research and emerging technology from our Ivy League institutions.
If you’re wondering what doctor to see for back pain, do your research. Pain Treatment Specialists offers minimally-invasive solutions with low risk of side effects, addiction, or further complications. Whether your pain stems from a sports injury, knee replacement, broken bone, inflammation, or degenerative condition, we’ll find the problem and offer a solution to get you back on your feet as quickly as possible. Pain Treatment Specialists NYC is conveniently located near Penn Station, so it’s easy to find us!
4 Non-Surgical Treatments a Back Doctor in NYC Uses
If your pain is ongoing, you might think your only solution is surgery. But there’s a good chance you just haven’t found the correct source or proper treatment. At Pain Treatment Specialists, we prescribe the full spectrum of safe treatment modalities, including physical therapy, R.I.C.E., massage therapy, and NSAIDs. But many of our patients benefit most from gentle out-patient procedures that target the pain more comprehensively and effectively. Here are 4 of our most common procedures that alleviate back pain.
1. Epidural Steroid Injections (ESI)– This minimally-invasive procedure helps relieve back pain caused by inflamed spinal nerves. A common cause of inflammation is spinal stenosis or disc herniation. We inject the medicine in the fat-filled epidural space between the bone and protective sac of the spinal nerves for pain relief that can last several years. Once pain is reduced, normal activities and even physical therapy are possible again.
2. Facet Joint Injections– Helpful for treating arthritic changes in facet joints and mechanical lower back pain, this anesthetic is injected in the nerves around one or more of the small joints along the vertebra. It can be used on multiple joints and is both therapeutic and diagnostic- allowing physical therapy and rehabilitation to occur.
3. Lumbar Radiofrequency Ablation– This gentle procedure applies heat with alternating current technology to treat сhrоnіс lower back pain caused by facet joint osteoarthritis. It’s a more advanced treatment for long term relief once you’ve already completed things like facet joint injections.
4. Spinal Cord Stimulation– Also known as Nerve Stimulation or Neuromodulation, it’s a procedure that uses a small device called a spinal cord stimulator (SCS) to deliver electrical pulses to the spinal cord to modify pain signals before they reach your brain. While it doesn’t remove the pain, it reduces your sensation of pain. This option is for those who haven’t found relief from other solutions.
These are just four of the many solutions Pain Treatment Specialists uses to eliminate pain safely, quickly, and effectively. We’ll work together to determine the best solution for you. If you think it’s time to see a doctor about your back pain, trust your instincts and call Pain Treatment Specialists today!
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.
Meet our Harvard trained team
Dr. George Hanna
Harvard Medical School | NY & NJ Pain Specialist
Dr. Hanna received his undergraduate degree from Cornell University and his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. He completed anesthesiology residency at Massachusetts General Hospital – Harvard Medical School and a pain management fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital – Harvard Medical School. Dr. Hanna was then appointed Clinical Instructor of Anesthesia at Harvard Medical School – training new graduates for over 3 years in anesthesiology and pain management techniques at Massachusetts General Hospital.
