Lasting Relief for Your Back Pain

Back pain is something most of us experience at some point, regardless of lifestyle or activity level. While certain types of back pain may resolve on their own, many cases require medical attention to prevent worsening symptoms. Given how integral our back is to everyday movements, ongoing pain can severely impact quality of life and even make it difficult to maintain employment, adding stress and frustration to daily routines. Fortunately, effective treatments are available to address and manage back pain, helping to restore comfort and functionality.

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The most common types of back pain

Back pain can vary in its location, cause, and severity, and identifying the type of pain is crucial for proper treatment. Here’s a look at some of the most common types of back pain, their causes, and symptoms to help you better understand your condition.

woman with lower back pain

How Can Stiff and Tight Muscles Result in Back Pain

Lower back pain (lumbar pain)

Description: Pain in the lower part of the back, often due to muscle strain, disc issues, or poor posture.

Causes: Common causes include heavy lifting, poor ergonomics, or conditions like herniated discs and sciatica.

Symptoms: Dull, aching pain or sharp, shooting pain that may extend to the legs.

Lower back pain, or lumbar pain, is one of the most common types of back pain and affects the lower part of the spine. It is often caused by muscle strain, disc issues, or poor posture, and can result from factors such as heavy lifting, poor ergonomics, prolonged sitting, or medical conditions like herniated discs and sciatica. Symptoms of lower back pain can vary, ranging from a dull, aching discomfort to sharp, shooting pain that may radiate down the legs, which can severely limit movement and interfere with daily activities.

Mid Back Pain (Thoracic Pain)

Description: Pain in the middle back, often due to muscle strain, poor posture, or issues with the spine.

Causes: Less common than lower back pain, often associated with poor posture, muscle overuse, or trauma.

Symptoms: Pain between the shoulder blades, stiffness, or tightness in the muscles around the spine.

Mid-back pain, or thoracic pain, occurs in the area between the shoulder blades and is generally less common than lower back pain. It’s often linked to muscle strain, poor posture, or spinal issues. Poor posture, muscle overuse, trauma, or prolonged periods of sitting can all contribute to mid-back discomfort. Symptoms of mid-back pain include a persistent ache or tightness in the muscles around the spine and limited range of motion in the upper body. This type of pain can be uncomfortable and restrict normal movements, affecting both posture and flexibility.

Upper Back Pain (Cervical Pain)

Description: Pain in the upper back or neck area, typically related to muscle strain or joint dysfunction.

Causes: Often caused by poor posture, especially from prolonged sitting or screen time, injuries, or tension.

Symptoms: Pain, stiffness, and sometimes headaches; may radiate down the arms.

Upper back pain, also called cervical pain, typically affects the area between the shoulder blades and can extend to the neck. It is often caused by muscle strain or joint dysfunction. Common causes include poor posture from prolonged sitting, excessive screen time, injuries, or muscle tension. Symptoms may include pain, stiffness, and even headaches. The pain can also radiate down the arms, especially if nerve compression is involved. This type of pain can be aggravated by poor posture or long hours spent in one position, leading to discomfort in the neck, shoulders, and upper back.

Sciatica

Description: Pain that radiates along the sciatic nerve, running from the lower back down to the legs.

Causes: Usually caused by a herniated disc, spinal stenosis, or other issues that compress the sciatic nerve.

Symptoms: Sharp or burning pain that radiates down one leg; numbness or tingling in the leg or foot.

Sciatica is a specific type of pain that follows the path of the sciatic nerve, radiating from the lower back through the hips and down the legs. It is often caused by conditions like herniated discs or spinal stenosis that compress or irritate the sciatic nerve. Sciatica pain is typically sharp or burning, traveling down one leg and sometimes accompanied by numbness, tingling, or weakness in the leg or foot. This condition can severely affect mobility and may require medical intervention to relieve the pressure on the nerve and alleviate symptoms.

Acute Back Pain (Short Term)

Description: Sudden, intense back pain that usually lasts a few days to a few weeks.

Causes: Typically due to a recent injury, muscle strain, or minor trauma.

Symptoms: Sharp, sudden pain that limits movement but may resolve with rest and care.

Acute back pain is a sudden, intense pain that generally lasts a few days to a few weeks and may arise unexpectedly. It is usually the result of a recent injury, muscle strain, or minor trauma, often occurring during physical activities or heavy lifting. This type of pain is typically sharp and can restrict movement, but it may improve with rest, over-the-counter pain relief, and physical therapy. Although short-term, acute back pain can be quite debilitating, limiting daily activities until the discomfort subsides and healing takes place.

Chronic Back Pain (Persistent)

Description: Long-lasting back pain that persists for over three months.

Causes: Often associated with degenerative conditions, spinal issues, or nerve damage.

Symptoms: Ongoing dull or sharp pain, often affecting daily activities and quality of life.

Chronic back pain is a form of ongoing pain that persists for more than three months, often fluctuating in intensity but always present. It is frequently associated with degenerative conditions, spinal problems, or nerve damage, leading to long-term discomfort. Chronic back pain can range from a dull, continuous ache to sharp pain that interferes with daily activities and significantly impacts quality of life. This type of pain often requires a comprehensive treatment plan, which may include physical therapy, medications, and sometimes surgical intervention, to achieve effective relief.

Common causes of back pain

Common causes of acute back pain are often due to falls, heavy lifting, or poor posture. These types of backaches don’t typically last more than a few weeks. However, if back pain persists, it may also be linked to other chronic conditions and risk factors, which include:

Ruptured or bulging discs. The discs in your spine act as cushions between your vertebrae. Over time, they can bulge or rupture, putting pressure on your nerves and causing discomfort.

Arthritis. Swelling and inflammation in the spinal joints can lead to pain and stiffness, making movement feel more difficult.

Spinal Stenosis. This condition happens when the space between the spinal cord becomes narrow, resulting in chronic low back pain.

Muscle strains. If you don’t practice good form when lifting weights, you’re at risk of injury and chronic back pain. Poor posture also strains the muscles and causes backaches.

Osteoporosis. Some osteoporotic patients may wake up to extreme acute lower back pain, which should be checked on by a primary care physician. For others, it can progress and cause nerve compression fractures.

Skeletal irregularities. Skeletal disorders such as scoliosis (a type of curved spine) can lead to lower back pain as you get older.

Kidney stones. In some cases, kidney problems may be an underlying cause of back pain. Your kidney will try to push out any stones that may have formed, causing spasms and severe pain in your back.

Procedures we offer to relieve pain in your back

Selective Nerve Root Blocks – This medical procedure is used if back pain is caused by inflamed foramina that are associated with arthritis or a ruptured disc.

Facet Injections – Just like a cortisone injection, facet shots insert an anti-inflammatory medication and numbing drug to provide immediate relief to the joint.

Paraspinal Joint Injections – In a paraspinal joint injection, anti-inflammatory medicine is injected into the affected joints if the backache is linked to arthritis.

Lumbar Epidural Steroid Injections – Unlike the other treatments, the Lumbar ESI delivers steroid medication to the irritated root nerves within the epidural space, the fat-filled part between the bone and the protective sac for the nerves. This reduces inflammation in the spinal cord nerves.

earn more about our back pain procedures.

Vertebral Cement Augmentation (VCA) – A minimally invasive procedure that inserts a medical-grade bone cement into the fractured vertebrae. Our expert physicians are trained in two effective methods to complete this procedure; vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty.

Question: Do I need surgery for my back pain?

Not necessarily. If conservative measures such as bed rest, analgesics, and physical therapy have failed, there are many minimally invasive options your VISP doctor can offer to help to reduce pain in your back.

Question: How do I know if my back pain is serious?

If your back pain is associated with any of these symptoms, you should visit your local emergency room. This could indicate that you have a more serious condition, and may show as the following symptoms:

Sudden severe leg pain, discomfort, numbness, and weakness.
Sharp, shooting pain in the back rather than a dull ache
The loss of bladder function (incontinence)
High fever
Severe stomach pain
Unexplainable weight loss
Pain due to a sudden fall or severe blow.

Question: How can I tell if my back pain is kidney-related?

Contrary to lower back pain that usually occurs in the lower region of the back, renal problems are higher and deeper down. It is found under both the rib cage and in the back of the head. Pain in the kidneys is emitted in the side, or the upper back (usually under the ribs and on the spine).