Back Pain Specialist

What is back pain?

Back pain is extremely common, affecting as many as 85% of Americans at some point in their lives. Back pain is usually due to a problem with one or more structures that make up your back, such as muscles, ligaments, nerves, and vertebrae.

Depending on the cause, you may experience back pain as a dull ache or a shooting, burning, or stabbing sensation. Sometimes, back pain can occur with pain that radiates into your arm and other symptoms like numbness and muscle weakness.

What causes back pain?

Back pain has many possible causes. The most common cause of back pain is muscle strain from poor posture or lifting something with improper form. Other causes of back pain include:

• Injuries from a fall, sports participation, or motor vehicle accident
• Degenerative disc disease
• Herniated discs
• Arthritis
• Spinal stenosis
• Osteoporosis
• Trigger points

Anyone can get back pain, but factors like increasing age, obesity, and a lack of physical activity can increase your risk.

How is back pain treated?

At Ascend Regenerative Medicine, Dr. Mammen carefully evaluates your condition and creates an individualized treatment plan. Depending on the cause and severity of your back pain, treatment may include:

Thoracic or lumbar radiofrequency ablation neurotomy

Dr. Mammen uses a type of X-ray, called fluoroscopy, to guide a specialized needle to a painful nerve. The needle delivers a radiofrequency current that prevents the nerve from sending pain signals to your brain.

Selective nerve root blocks

This fluoroscopy-guided injection bathes a painful nerve in medicine that relieves pain and reduces inflammation.

Trigger point injections

Trigger point injections relieve back pain from trigger points, also known as muscle knots. They involve injecting an anesthetic into the muscle tissue.

Spinal cord stimulator

A spinal cord stimulator is an implanted device that emits electrical impulses to block pain signals.

Medial branch blocks

Using fluoroscopy, this injection delivers numbing medicine to your medial branch nerves.

Facet injections

These fluoroscopy-guided injections help diagnose and treat back pain due to facet syndrome.

Epidural injections

Epidural injections deliver anesthetic medicine to the epidural space outside of your spinal cord.

Regenerative medicine

Regenerative medicine techniques like platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and stem cell therapy can relieve back pain by promoting your body’s natural healing process.

MLS laser therapy

Multiwave Locked System (MLS) robotic class IV laser therapy is a safe, painless treatment that uses light energy to stimulate healing at a cellular level.

To learn more about your treatment options for back pain, call Ascend Regenerative Medicine or request an appointment online today.