All you need to know about Chronic Back Pain!

We all at some point in life experience back pain; however, in some cases the back pain develops into chronic pain. Chronic Back Pain is when the pain persists for 12 weeks or longer after an injury or surgery or is caused by a source that is hard to determine.

Some of the causes of chronic pain include:

a. Muscle or ligament strain – Repeated or sudden heavy lifting or an awkward movement can strain back muscles and spinal ligaments. If you have a pre-existing health condition, especially physical, constant strain on your back can cause painful muscle spasms.

b. Bulging or ruptured discs – Discs act as cushions between the bones. The soft material inside a disc can bulge or rupture and press on a nerve. This can go unnoticed for a while and is often diagnosed incidentally when you have spine X-rays for some other reason.

c. Arthritis – Osteoarthritis can affect the lower back and in some cases can lead to a narrowing of the space around the spinal cord, a condition called spinal stenosis.

d. Osteoporosis – Your spine’s vertebrae can develop painful fractures if your bones become porous and brittle.

Other risk factors include age (as you become 30 years +), lack of exercise, excess weight, psychological conditions like depression and anxiety, and also habits like smoking and drinking.

While injections have been used for many years to reduce inflammation and treat back pain, and until recently, those injections have contained steroids and other medications; More recently, doctors have begun exploring natural alternatives to these drugs, including platelet-rich plasma, or PRP.

Since PRP is derived from your own blood, it eliminates some cons that come with steroids and other medicines. Platelets contain growth factors and also special proteins that signal healing in stem cells in the area surrounding a wound, prompting those cells to move into the treatment area. When growth factors and signaling proteins work together, they generate new, healthy tissue that’s used to repair damaged tissue. By injecting PRP directly into the affected area (for instance lower back), this healing process is expedited.

The effect of PRP treatment when combined with suitable lifestyle changes lasts longer and provides the much-needed relief that you’ve been seeking. Having said that, this treatment should be strictly done after and in consultation with an experienced pain specialist.

Remember – No matter what’s the cause of your back pain, there’s a treatment that can help you feel better. To learn more about PRP and other treatments that could help relieve your chronic back pain, book an appointment online today.