Is Chronic Back Pain Keeping You From Enjoying Life?
Are activities that you once did, like standing on the sidelines to watch your kids play sports, or working in a job you’ve done for years, now nearly impossible to perform because of back pain? Even doing simple things like taking a walk, climbing the stairs, or bending over to pick something up that you’ve dropped seem out of reach anymore. You may be finding yourself on the struggle bus when it comes to enjoying life, but back pain doesn’t have to keep you from living. Dr. Thomas Brooks, a board-certified pain medicine physician at Innovative Pain & Spine Specialists in Omaha, Nebraska specializes in helping people find relief from chronic back pain so they can live productive lives.
Getting to the Root of Your Back Pain
Determining what is causing your back pain is an important step in finding relief. The first thing is to get a full understanding of your medical history and perform a physical exam which can usually identify the cause of your back pain.
In some cases, the cause of the chronic back pain may not be clear, and in those instances, additional testing may be needed. Tests may involve one or more of the following:
- Blood Test
- Bone Scan
- Electromyography
- Nerve Conduction Studies
- X-ray
- CT Scan
- MRI
Many of these tests can be performed right in the Omaha office.
How is Chronic Back Pain Treated?
Where your chronic back pain is located along the spine will indicate the plan of care that will provide the best outcomes for recovery. Often, Dr. Brooks will start with basic treatments to see how they work before moving on, such as:
- Medications
- Heat and/or Ice
- Acupuncture
- Electrical Nerve Stimulation
- Physical Therapy
If these don’t provide relief, Dr. Brooks may suggest more aggressive or interventional options. At Innovative Pain & Spine, we make sure our patients are involved in their treatment plan every step of the way.
Minimally Invasive Options
With some patients, the chronic pain may be the result of extensive nerve damage, serious injury to the spine, or a disease. When that is the diagnosis, Dr. Brooks will look at other advanced procedures to treat the pain, such as:
Epidural Steroid Injections
Kyphoplasty
Radiofrequency Denervation
Sacroiliac Joint Injection
Spinal Cord Stimulation
Vertiflex Superion
These treatments can be performed at the Omaha office where you will be monitored following your procedure. Your safety is our highest priority. You may also be prescribed other therapies as you continue to heal on your road to feeling like you again.
Things You Can Do to Prevent Back Pain
Some causes of chronic back pain are out of your control, like congenital conditions and injuries. There are, however, some things you can do to keep your back healthy and reduce the incidence of chronic back pain developing.
- Be mindful of using good posture when standing or sitting. Stand up and move around to stretch your back muscles throughout the day.
- Get regular exercise that will strengthen your core and back muscles.
- Maintain a healthy weight to reduce additional strain on your back.
- Use proper lifting techniques when lifting or moving heavy objects.
- Sleep on your side in a fetal position to open joints in the spine and relieve pressure.
- Avoid smoking, as it reduces blood flow to the lower spine which can impact spine disc degeneration.
Get Back Living Your Life
Life is short and you don’t want to miss out on anything because you are on the sidelines with back pain. If you have chronic back pain and are ready to start living your life again, call Innovative Pain & Spine Specialists in Omaha, Nebraska at 402-413-5010 and schedule an appointment with Dr. Thomas Brooks.
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