Back Pain Specialist
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Brain and Spine Institute of New York and New Jersey
Board-Certified Neurosurgeon located in East Brunswick, NJ, Bayonne, NJ, Midtown, New York, NY, & Bayside, NY
Back pain is a leading cause of missed work and decreased quality of life. At Brain and Spine Institute of New York and New Jersey, board-certified neurosurgeon Arien Smith, MD, FACS, provides cutting-edge treatments to get you back to functioning and feeling like yourself. If you suffer debilitating back pain, call one of the offices in East Brunswick or Bayonne, New Jersey, or in New York City in Bayside, Queens, or Midtown East, Manhattan, or schedule an appointment online today to get relief.
Back Pain
Why is back pain so common?
About 80% of people experience some form of low back pain at some point in their lives. Causes of back pain include muscle, ligament, nerve, and spine injuries. Poor posture and the general wear-and-tear of aging also impact your back health.
You may experience acute back pain due to an injury, like during athletics, a car wreck, or a fall. These instances can rupture a disc, strain the muscles along the spine, or cause a torn ligament. If you don’t get proper care after these injuries, you may suffer chronic pain later in life.
The spine is also vulnerable to degeneration from:
- Osteoarthritis
- Osteoporosis
- Spondylolysis
- Spondylolisthesis
- Herniated discs
- Spinal stenosis
- Radiculopathy
Overuse, genetics, and aging can all cause degenerative issues that result in serious back pain.
Mild back pain from a strain usually resolves in a few days on its own, but if your pain is severe, persistent, or accompanied by symptoms like tingling or numbness, contact Brain and Spine Institute of New York and New Jersey for an evaluation.
Are there non-surgical treatments for back pain?
In the vast majority of cases, non-surgical treatments are effective in helping resolve back pain. These treatments include:
- Rest and gentle exercise
- Pain and anti-inflammatory medication
- Muscle relaxants
- Physical therapy
- Massage
These treatments are usually most effective for sprains, strains, or connective tissue damage.
Non-surgical treatments can relieve pain and restore function, but if you have a structural deformity, they can’t prevent the long-term progression of pain and further degeneration.
When is surgical intervention necessary to resolve back pain?
When non-surgical interventions fail to help you find relief, surgery may be necessary — especially if you have a degenerative condition like narrowing of the spinal canal (stenosis) or a herniated disc.
The type of surgical intervention you need depends on the nature of your pain and its cause. Whenever possible, Dr. Smith offers a minimally invasive approach that uses small incisions and tiny instruments.
With minimally invasive surgery, you experience less damage to tissue surrounding the spine and reduced blood loss. As a result, recovery is usually quicker and more manageable.
If you have persistent, debilitating back pain, contact Brain and Spine Institute of New York and New Jersey. Call the nearest office or use the online tool to request an appointment today.