Back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide, and a major reason Americans seek medical care. If you haven’t found relief for your chronic back pain, it’s crucial to know when to see a spine specialist.
At The Spine Institute of Southeast Texas, board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic spine surgeon Thomas Jones II, MD, provides comprehensive care for patients affected by spine conditions, finding effective treatment ranging from conservative approaches through major surgery.
When you’re tired of putting up with chronic back pain, it’s time to schedule a consultation.
As you age, your spine ages along with you. That’s why the risk of chronic back pain increases with age. By age 40 most people have some age-related changes to their spine — for example, discs lose hydration and height, crack and bulge.
Most of the time, age-related changes to the spine seen on imaging cause no symptoms. Even adults under 40 sometimes show degenerative changes to the spine on imaging without symptoms.
The following are common risk factors:
While structural changes like bulging discs or joint wear set the stage, whether those changes produce chronic pain depends on a complex interplay of biological, nervous system, and psychological factors.
The following are three of the most common underlying chronic back pain factors:
As spinal discs gradually lose water and structural integrity with age, degenerative disc disease can develop. Treatment typically starts conservatively with activity modification, exercise or physical therapy, and appropriate medications.
Spinal discs that provide cushion between the bones of your spine can undergo changes that cause them to bulge out and irritate or compress a nearby nerve. Bulging or herniated discs don’t always cause symptoms, but when they do, chronic back pain, and abnormal sensations like tingling or numbness can occur.
Nerve roots travel from the spinal cord through a narrow space in your spine, and when this space is compressed or otherwise restricted, chronic pain can develop. Patients with spinal stenosis often have bone spurs or disc degeneration that can cause narrowing in the spinal column.
Dr. Jones has extensive experience evaluating, diagnosing, and treating these and the full range of conditions that impact the spine.
Most everyday back pain clears up on its own after a few weeks of adjusting your routine. You should consider a specialist consultation when pain persists despite conservative treatment, repeatedly returns, progressively interferes with daily activities, or is accompanied by radiating leg pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness.
Treatment depends on the underlying cause and your symptoms. Dr. Jones emphasizes nonsurgical care as an initial step, which may include physical therapy, exercise, medications, activity modification, or other targeted treatments.
By the time many patients schedule a specialist consultation, they’ve already tried conservative treatments without adequate relief. Dr. Jones may consider surgery when symptoms remain disabling despite appropriate conservative care or when nerve compression or spinal degeneration requires correction.
When surgery is necessary, Dr. Jones specializes in minimally invasive spine techniques meant to address the source of the problem with as little damage as possible to surrounding tissue. This supports a swifter recovery.
There’s no need to wait until your back pain is unbearable or disabling to seek answers or advanced solutions. A consultation with a spine specialist can help determine whether your symptoms are coming from a disc, nerves, spinal narrowing, or another condition, and whether continued conservative care or a more advanced treatment makes sense.
If chronic back pain is limiting your life, contact us at The Spine Institute of Southeast Texas in Pearland, Houston, or Lake Jackson, Texas. A comprehensive evaluation can help you put you on a clear path forward of relief.
