Learn About Lower Back Pain from the Best Back Pain Dr in NJ

Want to learn more about the most common causes of lower back pain before you book an appointment with one of our board-certified pain management specialists? There are many things that can trigger lumbar pain. lower back pain is a type of discomfort that can be caused by many different conditions or injuries. The most common causes of lumbar pain treated by the Pain Treatment Specialists back doctors with minimally invasive procedures are:

1. Lumbar herniated discs

Commonly referred to as a slipped or a ruptured disc, this condition occurs when the spinal disc gets damaged. The spine is made of bones known as vertebrae which are padded by small discs that have a spongy consistency. The main purpose of a healthy spinal disc is to absorb the shock for the spine, to keep it flexible, and allow us to move freely. When one of our spinal discs is damaged, it bulges or breaks open.

A lumbar herniated disc is a common condition that our back pain doctors can diagnose quickly and it is referred to as a herniated disc. If you suspect that you might be suffering from a lumbar herniated disc, it is highly recommended to schedule an appointment with a back pain dr as soon as possible.

Common symptoms of a herniated disc include difficulty walking and limited mobility, leg numbness or tingling sensation, pain in the lower back that worsens when moving or sitting down, and sciatica.

2. Degenerative disc disease

DDC is another common condition that causes lumbar pain, but it can also trigger neck pain. Degenerative disc disease consists of the degradation of the spinal discs and it is a natural process as people get older. In many patients, DDC goes undiagnosed for a long time, but when it triggers severe pain, the patient can be taken by surprise. The pain associated with degenerative disc disease can be chronic but it can also occur in episodes. Therefore, it’s is very important to seek medical advice when you have an episode of intense lumbar pain.

If left untreated, DDC can progress and it can trigger more serious conditions such as a herniated disc, spinal stenosis, sciatica, or osteoarthritis. Common symptoms of degenerative disc disease include back and neck pain, sciatica pain (pain that extends down your legs, arms, and buttocks area), discomfort and difficulty walking or standing for prolonged periods of time. 

3. Spinal Stenosis

Spinal stenosis is another common condition that affects the spine. It consists of a tightening of the spinal canal, which causes the nerves and the spinal cord to become compressed. The narrowing of the spinal canal and the pressure that it causes can trigger severe lower back pain.

When spinal stenosis occurs in the lumbar area it affects the lumbar spinal nerves and specialists refer to it as lumbar spinal stenosis. When it occurs in the neck area, it is commonly referred to as cervical stenosis. Cervical stenosis is more severe and more frequent in elderly patients and it can cause myelopathy, which is a compression of the cervical spinal cord.

Ageing is the main risk factor associated with spinal stenosis as the wear and tear of the ligaments can lead to this debilitating and painful condition. Other common causes of spinal stenosis are back injuries, accidents, and arthritis.

The most common symptoms triggered by spinal stenosis are lumbar pain, discomfort and leg cramps, tingling sensations in the legs or arms, difficulty walking and limited capacity to perform physical activities.

4. Low Back Strain

Low back strain can cause both acute and chronic back pain. If you stretch your back muscles too far, you can cause small tears in the muscle tissue. This type of muscle injury leads to muscle weakness and pain and is commonly referred to as low back strain. When you suffer from low back strain, you can experience pain in different parts of your body, as the nerves extend from the spinal cord throughout your entire body.

In most patients, low back strain is caused by accidents, falling, bending or crouching incorrectly and repeatedly, lifting heavy objects incorrectly and without being in good physical shape, and extreme physical exertion.

The most common symptoms of low back strain include stiff back, pain that extends from the back towards the arms or legs, pain that prevents you from bending and stretching and that worsens when you cough, sneeze or flex your back muscles in other ways.

If you are experiencing lumbar pain, it’s highly recommended to schedule an appointment with a back pain dr in NJ at your earliest convenience. A board-certified back doctor will offer a correct diagnosis based on your medical history, your symptoms, and a series of tests that they will be performing. Our state-of-the-art pain clinics are conveniently located in Paramus on Route 17, near the Paramus Park Mall, in Clifton, NJ, on Route 46 E, past the Ford dealership, in West Orange, near the Essex Country Club, and in Woodland Park clinic, on McBride Avenue, right next to Woodland Park Dialysis Center and we are available for phone appointments and phone general enquiries at (855) 428-0125.