Back Pain

Low back pain is the most common musculoskeletal problem worldwide. It leads to more days of lost work and disability than all other disorders. Low back pain can negatively impact your quality of life, affecting not only you but your family and coworkers. Fortunately, low back pain can be diagnosed and successfully treated by the experts at SOAR Spine and Orthopedics in Santa Clara and Redwood City, California. The physiatrists at SOAR pioneered the nonoperative approach to low back pain, which has been adopted around the world. Their groundbreaking research on inflammation, exercise training, and image guided injection therapy is the basis of a care plan that can be tailored to your particular situation. Based upon an education in traditional Chinese medicine that dates back to the 1970s, this truly holistic approach to diagnosing, treating and preventing low back pain is the best option to improve your quality of life. Call the office today to get relief from back pain, or use the online booking tab.

What does back pain feel like?

If you develop back discomfort, it can feel like stabbing pain, dull aching, burning, tingling, numbness, or radiating discomfort. The pain might come and go, remain constant, or get worse with time when left untreated. See the SOAR Spine and Orthopedics team at the first sign of ongoing or severe back pain.

What are the common causes of back pain?

There are many causes of low back pain. Often several factors may combine together to create the pain syndrome. This often requires an expert to sort out these complex problems.

Don’t waste your time with general non-specific care. Come to SOAR to get an accurate diagnosis and get started on a treatment program that is specifically designed to treat your individual problem.

Back pain might develop because of:

• Muscle Strains
• Herniated discs
• Stress or traumatic fractures
• Spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal)
• Osteoporosis with compression fractures
• Arthritis
• Sciatica (nerve pain causing leg symptoms)
• Whiplash
• Sports injuries

You might injure your back in a car accident or by lifting something heavy, falling down, or playing sports. Other risk factors include lack of strength and flexibility, smoking, older age, and depression or anxiety. Sometimes the cause of back pain isn’t clear. 

How does my provider diagnose back pain?

The physiatrists at SOAR Spine and Orthopedics look for the root cause of back pain in order to achieve an accurate diagnosis which is required before embarking on a treatment plan. After reviewing your medical history and completing a thorough and pointed physical exam sets the key elements for a diagnosis. Very often imaging studies with X-rays and MRI scans will be ordered and interpreted by your physiatrist. The doctors at SOAR will never rely upon an outside radiologists report as the sole source of information. 

How is low back pain treated?

SOAR Spine and Orthopedics offers the following treatments for back pain:

Individually prescribed exercises are the hallmark of care. In some cases an x-ray guided injection may be required to reduce inflammation to permit the patient to participate in the program. 

The following list represents some of the treatments that can be applied to different disorders.

• Rest
• Ice or heat packs
• Bracing for fractures
• Exercise based Physical therapy
• X-ray guided cortisone Injections
• Medications
• Regenerative medicine (PRP, etc)
• Manual adjustments (chiropractic)
• Massage
• Acupuncture 
• Feldenkrais Method
• Medically prescribed Yoga
• Tai chi
• Strength-building exercises
• Radiofrequency ablation

The SOAR Spine and Orthopedics team tailors each back pain treatment to your needs based on what’s causing the condition, its severity, and your treatment preferences. They first recommend holistic, natural treatments as the least invasive method but provide minimally invasive back pain treatments to ensure you receive maximum pain relief.

Your provider could recommend more than one treatment to provide superior results, and they follow up to ensure your treatment works effectively.

Call the nearest office today or use the online booking feature to learn more about the highly effective back pain treatments available at SOAR Spine and Orthopedics.