Back pain is one of the most common reasons people seek medical care, affecting individuals across all walks of life. While some cases are temporary and resolve on their own, others can persist and significantly impact quality of life, mobility, and overall well-being. Understanding the sources of back pain and exploring treatment options can be the first steps toward relief.

Sources of Back Pain

Back pain can originate from several structures within the spine, each contributing to discomfort in different ways. Common causes include:

• Facet Joint Disease – The facet joints are small stabilizing joints located at the back of the spine. Over time, these joints can degenerate or become inflamed, leading to stiffness, localized back pain, and difficulty with movement.

• Disc Degeneration or Herniation – The intervertebral discs act as cushions between the vertebrae. Aging, injury, or strain can cause them to weaken, leading to pain from structural instability or inflammation.

• Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction – The sacroiliac joints connect the spine to the pelvis. When they become irritated or misaligned, they can lead to pain in the lower back, making activities such as standing, walking, or climbing stairs difficult.

• Muscle and Ligament Strain – Repetitive movements, poor posture, sudden lifting, or excessive strain can lead to muscular pain, ranging from sharp discomfort to persistent aching.

• Spinal Stenosis – The narrowing of the spinal canal can cause pressure on spinal structures, resulting in lower back pain and difficulty with prolonged standing or walking.

• Inflammatory and Degenerative Conditions – Osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, and inflammatory arthritis can contribute to chronic back pain by affecting spinal joints, bones, and surrounding tissues.

Seeking Relief and Treatment

• Medications- Pain medications can help alleviate some of the discomfort of back pain disorders.

• Physiotherapy – Targeted exercises and rehabilitation techniques can help improve mobility, strengthen muscles, and support posture correction.

• Pain-Relief Interventions – We offer a range of advanced targeted interventions such as x-ray guided steroid injections and radiofrequency ablation techniques.

Facet Joint Medial Branch Blocks

A facet medial branch block is a diagnostic procedure used to identify the source of pain in your spine. Your spine is made up of bones with small joints in between called facet joints. These joints help your back move, but they can become inflamed or irritated and cause pain.

During this procedure, the doctor injects a numbing medicine near the nerves that send pain signals from these joints to your brain. If the pain goes away after the shot, it tells the doctor that the facet joint was likely the source of your pain. This information helps them determine the best treatment plan for you. This procedure is not a treatment for pain, but rather a tool to help diagnose the cause of your pain.

Radiofrequency Ablation of Facet Joints

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a minimally invasive procedure used to treat chronic lower back pain originating from the facet joints. Guided by imaging, a needle is inserted near the affected joint, and radiofrequency energy is applied to burn the nerves transmitting pain signals. This can provide long-term pain relief for some patients.

Sacroiliac Joint Injection

A sacroiliac (SI) joint injection is a procedure used to diagnose and treat pain coming from the SI joints in your lower back. These joints connect your spine to your pelvis.

Here's how it works:

• Targeted injection: Guided by x-ray, a needle is carefully inserted into the SI joint.

• Medication delivery: A mixture of numbing medicine and steroid is injected into the joint.

• Pain relief: The numbing medicine provides immediate relief, while the steroid reduces inflammation for longer-lasting relief.