At least 577 million people experience back pain worldwide, making it a major health problem today. At Tarpon Interventional Pain & Spine Care, board-certified specialist Lewis Frazier, Jr., MD, offers a better way to deal with back pain. Dr. Frazier, Jr. diagnoses, treats, and manages back pain using the most advanced approaches, with an emphasis on nonsurgical solutions. To disrupt your back pain cycle and get back to your life, call the Plano, Texas, office for an appointment today.

Back Pain Q & A

What causes back pain?

Back pain is an extremely common problem with many possible causes. Most cases of back pain affect the lower (lumbar) part of your spine, although you can also have pain in your thoracic (middle) or cervical (upper) spine. Some of the most common causes are:

  • Sciatica
  • Sports injuries, like sprains and strains
  • Herniated spinal discs
  • Degenerative disc disease
  • Spinal stenosis
  • Arthritis, including osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis

Because your spine connects to your whole body, either directly or through nerves, back pain can sometimes happen along with other forms of chronic pain. For example, if you have arthritis, you may have joint pain in your spine as well as your hips, knees, and other areas.

When should I consider interventional pain management for back pain?

Back pain varies dramatically by person, so there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. In general, however, if back pain disrupts your life in any way, it’s time to seek help.

If you move extra cautiously, avoid physical activity, or adapt your daily routines to compensate for back pain, it’s important to know that you can take control and live normally again. At Tarpon Interventional Pain & Spine Care, Dr. Frazier, Jr. uses innovative non-surgical methods to interrupt your pain cycle and help you stand, walk, bend, lift, and enjoy normal movement again.

How do epidural steroid injections treat back pain?

An epidural steroid injection contains corticosteroids, which minimize inflammation, and a local anesthetic, which deadens the sensation in the painful area. There are several types of epidural steroid injections, including cervical spine injections (upper back), thoracic spine injections (middle of the back), and lumbar spine injections (lower back).

Epidural steroid injections can ease your back pain for days, weeks, or even months. Tarpon Interventional Pain & Spine Care also offers other injections for back pain in specific areas, such as a medial branch block, an anesthetic injection that helps to diagnose the source of your pain, and trigger point injections, anesthetic-corticosteroid combinations that target painful muscle spasms.

What are the other treatments for back pain?

In addition to epidural injections, Tarpon Interventional Pain & Spine Care offers other back pain treatments, including:

Radiofrequency ablation
Radiofrequency ablation is a treatment in which radio wave energy heats and destroys selective areas of nerve tissue. This decreases nerve activity and offers relief for up to 18 months, potentially even years.

Prolotherapy injections
Prolotherapy injections involve treatment with a mix of local anesthetic and dextrose. This blend starts the proliferation process, in which you grow new cells and heal damaged tissue naturally.

Regenerative medicine
Regenerative medicine uses natural substances from the human body to help you repair or replace the damaged tissue that’s causing your back pain. Some of the different regenerative medicine options include platelet-rich plasma (PRP), bone marrow aspirate concentrate, and amniotic fluid injections.

Along with your pain management treatments, Dr. Frazier, Jr. typically prescribes physiotherapy to help you rebuild normal strength and range of motion.

For back pain treatments that work with your lifestyle, call Tarpon Interventional Pain & Spine Care for an appointment today.