Even if you have not experienced lower back pain, you will likely do in future. Some adults live with acute or chronic back pain while others have mild pain from time to time. Low back pain is characterized by muscle spasms that originate from the supportive muscles along the spinal cord. If your problem is serious, there will be numbness, tingling and pain in the buttocks, thighs and/or legs. If you are feeling this sort of pain right now, see a neck pain doctor NYC area. A doctor who can treat your neck can also manage your back pain because they have extensive training in both areas. Unless your lower back pain is related to your monthly period, any other kind should be examined by a pain management doctor. If simple home remedies don’t improve your discomfort, then your back pain specialist NYC should be consulted.
When to consult the top NYC back pain Specialist New Jersey Experts
Needless to say, lower back pain can disappear on its own and recur if the root cause is not eradicated. In you live in the New York City or New Jersey, there are spine specialists that can help you. Even if you are based in both cities, these specialists have hospitals near you. If you notice that your low backache is worsening every day, and you don’t know why, it is time to take an action. By seeking the assistance of the top back pain specialist NYC can offer you, you can discover a terrible disease like arthritis early and deal with it. What’s more, you can address a case of recurring low back pain once and for all. Don’t be tempted to live on painkillers as they cannot cure the exact cause of your pain. Instead, see a back and Neck pain doctor NYC expert who can examine and treat you.
Why do you have low back pain?
Pain in this area of your back could be triggered by just one thing or a combination of factors. When you go to a back pain specialist NYC clinic, try not to panic as knowing what is ailing your back will be the first step to getting rid of it for good. Generally, pain in the lower back is caused by the following factors:
- Muscle strain – If a muscle is overworked or weakened through excessive daily abuse, it can strain and hurt.
- Ligament sprain – Since ligaments offer your low back and the spinal vertebrae reinforcement and stability, they can easily be injured when you move suddenly and forcefully. As well, they can be damaged by long periods of stress.
- Poor back posture – This is one of the top causes of pain in your lower back. When you slouch in front of your computer or TV, or when you type while bending your back over your work desk, you can experience muscular fatigue, disc stress and joint compression. Also, several years of abuse can cause muscular imbalances and pain.
- Aging – It goes without saying that aging cause wear and tear in your spinal discs, triggering a condition called a degenerative disc disease. If facet joints of your spinal cord begin to degenerative, you can suffer from a degenerative joint disease. Besides, even when we are aging normally, we lose considerable bone density and muscles and ligaments’ strength and elasticity. While we can minimize this by lifting and moving heavy things safely, exercising regularly and eating a balanced diet, we cannot totally avoid aging and its side effects. If you are a senior facing low back pain, call a good neck pain doctor NYC today.
- Disc herniation – If one or more of your discs bulge or become herniated, they can exert pressure on a nerve and this can cause pain—sciatica pain.
What NYC back pain Specialist New Jersey Experts can do about your sciatica
Sciatica pain is related to the sciatic nerve. It is the biggest nerve in our bodies and consists of separate nerve roots that branch out from the spinal column in our lower backs. All of these nerve roots come together to create what is commonly known as the sciatic nerve. If this nerve becomes pinched or irritated near where it originates, you can feel low back pain that would require the attention of your back and neck pain doctor NYC. Starting from our lower back, the sciatic nerve runs through the buttock all the way down to the back of your leg. Parts of it spread out in every leg’s thigh, calf, foot and toes.
- So, what is sciatic pain? It is the kind of pain that attacks your lower extremity when your sciatic nerve is irritated or pinched. The first part to feel this pain is your low back or lumbar area and then behind your thigh. If it’s too serious, it can travel down your lower leg or below your knee. Sciatic nerve pain is mostly due to the lumbar disc herniation when it presses on a nerve causing inflammation. Irritation of sciatic nerve due to intervertebral disc abnormalities is called radiculopathy. Sometimes the irritation of sciatic nerve is as a result of a tumor, bone, muscle, an injury or infection in the lumbar spine or internal bleeding in the neighboring areas. Some women develop sciatica for the first time during pregnancy. If you think that you have this pain and needs a further explanation, see your back pain specialist NYC.
- Signs that you have sciatica – Mostly when you have this type of low back pain you have constant pain in one side of your buttock or leg. In many people, sciatic nerve pain attacks one leg at a time and it worsens when seated. The pain can be burning or tingling and it is sometimes accompanied by numbness, weakness and immobility. Sometimes you may not move your whole leg at all or your leg, foot or toes. The pain can be so sharp and excruciating that you may not be able to stand up and walk. If you notice that your pain is moving down your leg, it is most likely due to an irritated sciatic nerve.
- Risk factors – The person who is most likely to suffer from this pain is the one who has a degenerative form of arthritis in their lumbar spine, the lumbar disc disease, a slipped disc or an injury to their lumbar spine. Females who are pregnant also have a bigger risk, or those who spend several hours seated incorrectly.
- How sciatica pain is diagnosed – A physical exam and your medical history are enough to diagnose your sciatica pain. If your back pain specialist NYC knows about your symptoms, they could confirm them via X-rays, MRI and CT scans.
- How sciatica pain is treated – To stop your low back pain due to sciatic nerve pain, your neck pain doctor NYC will depend on their diagnostic results. This sort of problem can be treated by general medical doctors, family medicine doctors, gynecologists, orthopedics, neurosurgeons, rheumatologists, internal medicine doctors, pain management doctors and physiatrists. Other type of back pain specialist NYC experts who treat low back pain without drugs include massage therapists, acupuncture therapists, psychologists, chiropractors and physical therapists. All of these professionals seek to address the real cause of your sciatica pain. One of the commonly used method of treating this condition is TENS units (Transcutaneous nerve stimulators) as it improves chronic types of sciatic nerve pain. Medicines are also offered by any neck pain doctor NYC and they mostly include muscle relaxants, painkillers, antidepressants and anti-inflammatory drugs. The best drugs for intercepting pain in the brain are anti-depressants. Other helpful drugs are duloxetine and gabapentin. Some steroid drugs can be administered by your neck pain doctor NYC via an epidural injection or orally and be super helpful in alleviating sciatica pain. If you have persistent sciatic nerve pain, your neck pain doctor NYC might decide to perform a surgery on you.
- When does sciatica pain ever ends? – It depends on what causes it. If it is a disc herniation, shingles, back sprain or a degenerative lumbar spine disease, the pain can take a few days or weeks. But, when the pain is present it can be so severe that you get immobilized, somehow. Unless a surgery is done, chronic sciatica pain cannot end. So, if your pain persists, seek medical help from a trustworthy and reputable back pain specialist NYC.
How to help yourself
If you have moderate to chronic low back pain, how can you help yourself? Whether your pain is caused by irritation of your sciatic nerve or another problem, what you need fast is relieve. Before anything else, get assistance from a good back and neck pain doctor NYC. After carrying out their full diagnosis and recommending treatment, do your part by taking medicines, doing physiotherapy, massage, and so on. If you need to go back to the back pain specialist NYC for a follow-up meeting, just do it. Besides following your doctor’s instructions to the letter, there are actions you can take at home to ease your pain.
First, as recommended by your neck pain doctor NYC, take a rest from any activity that aggravates your low back pain. This may include heavy lifting and moving of bulky things, prolonged standing or sitting, driving for hours, bending and abrupt twisting. Applying cold ice can make you feel better. So, apply it for fifteen minutes every one to two hours. The cold sensations will improve your nerve pain and muscles spasms. If you must use heat, employ it after forty-eight hours. Improve your posture when sleeping too, by ensuring that you are keeping your spine straight rather than curved. This can be possible if you buy a firm mattress that can offer adequate back support.
Moreover, sleep on a comfortable head pillow to maintain a safe body position during your sleep. If you like sleeping with head facing the ceiling, place a tiny pillow under the back of your legs for extra support. As a side sleeper who has lower back pain, you should consider placing a tiny pillow between thighs. Keep taking the NSAIDs medicines that were prescribed at your neck pain doctor NYC clinic. By so doing, you will reduce your pain and be able to exercise your body. By the way, any strenuous exercise is strictly prohibited by any qualified back pain specialist NYC when you are trying to treat sciatica pain.
Make gentle exercise moves that can make your stiff areas more flexible and mobile. If your back and leg muscles feel totally relaxed, you will hardly have frequent low back pain. In case you feel more pain when doing a particular work out, leave it alone and ask your back pain specialist NYC to suggest better ways to workout.
How to prevent low back pain in future
If your neck pain doctor NYC and you succeed in ending low back pain, it’s not over yet. You must both address factors that might cause the same discomfort in future and find ways to avoid them. A rehabilitation plan to help strengthen your hip, back and abdominal muscles should be made. It must address the issue of bad posture and the goal should be helping you achieve a neural spine. This spine is neither slouched nor excessively arched. Good posture must be maintained always, especially, when working in your office, sleeping, lifting or moving bulky stuff. Your back pain specialist NYC will create this rehabilitation program or assign it to another specialist. The only thing you should do is to cooperate with the physicians who are helping you recuperate.
Final word
Even if the sciatic nerve pain can come and disappear on its own, you shouldn’t ignore it. Being one of the top causes of low back pain, sciatica pain should be investigated and dealt with immediate effect. If you feel consistent pain that doesn’t go away in a whole week and it is accompanied by a sudden fever, weight loss, redness and swelling on your spinal column, pain, and tingling, don’t wait. Go and see a reputable neck pain doctor NYC specialist to know what the real cause of your symptoms is. He or she will treat you based on their findings after carrying out tests on you. If your pain persists, your back pain specialist NYC might recommend yet another treatment path.