Back Pain Specialist
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Excelsior Pain Management
Jonathan Chin, MD
Pain Management located in Austin, TX
Back pain is one of the most common reasons people visit the doctor, whether it comes from an accident, heavy lifting, or changes to the spine over time. At Excelsior Pain Management in Austin, Texas, Harvard-trained and double board-certified pain management specialist, Jonathan Chin, MD, treats acute and chronic back pain through minimally-invasive procedures. To schedule an appointment, call or use the online booking feature.
Back Pain Q & A
What are the signs and symptoms of back pain?
Back pain can either be acute, which means it appears suddenly as the result of an accident or injury and lasts up to six weeks, or it can be chronic, which means it lasts more than three months and results from an underlying condition such as arthritis. The pain can affect many different structures in your back, so it takes many different forms.
You may experience back pain as:
- A dull muscle ache or spasm
- Stabbing or shooting pain that travels down your leg and into your foot
- Difficulty bending, lifting, standing up straight, or walking
- Less flexibility and a decreased range of motion
- Tingling or numbness
Most often, people experience back pain in the lower or middle back.
What causes back pain?
Back pain may result from an injury, repetitive activity, or certain medical conditions. Your back is made up of many different components, including bones, muscles, ligaments, and tendons, which work together to support your upper body. A problem with any of these components can lead to back pain.
Conditions that contribute to back pain include:
- Muscle sprains and ligament strains: can result from lifting something improperly (with your back rather than your legs), twisting awkwardly, or stretching too far
- Sciatica: pain in the sciatic nerve, which runs from your lower back down through your buttocks and legs into your feet
- Herniated or ruptured disc: when one of the “cushions” in your spine moves out of place or breaks open
- Injuries: often occur from sports and workplace accidents
You’re at greater risk of developing back pain if you’re age 40 or older, are overweight, or smoke.
How is back pain treated?
If your back pain symptoms aren’t getting better, you may need treatment from Dr. Chin to manage your pain. Dr. Chin relieves back pain using a variety of techniques:
Epidurals
Dr. Chin injects medication directly into the epidural space, the area around your spinal cord.
Stimulators
This procedure involves Dr. Chin implanting a device that uses mild electrical pulses to control pain signals from your spinal or peripheral nerves.
Radiofrequency ablations
Electrical current from radio waves heats and destroys a specific area of nerve tissue, decreasing pain signals.
Nerve blocks
With a nerve block, Dr. Chin injects nerve-numbing medication into the targeted area to decrease or eliminate pain signals.
If you’re suffering from back pain, call Excelsior Pain Management or schedule an appointment online today.
