Back Pain

Back pain is one of the most common effects of neurological disease today, but many people don’t realize that their pain may stem from their nervous system. At Riverhills Neuroscience, the renowned multidisciplinary specialists treat neurological disease and all its effects, including back pain, headaches, and mobility issues, in their one-stop-shop practice. With three Cincinnati, Ohio, area offices in Norwood, Westside, and Anderson, as well as an office in Crestview Hills, Kentucky, you have the region’s foremost multidisciplinary specialists close at hand. Call the office in your area or click the online contact button to talk to an expert today.

What causes back pain?

Injuries, disease, and the normal processes of aging can all cause back pain, including:

• Herniated disc: cracked and leaking disc between two vertebrae
• Lumbar spinal stenosis: narrowing of the spinal canal, causing nerve compression
• Compression fractures: vertebral fractures often due to osteoporosis
• Degenerative disc disease: gradual spinal disc breakdown
• Congenital spine differences such as scoliosis
• Spondylolisthesis: a vertebra slides out of alignment 
• Ankylosing spondylitis: spinal arthritis

Back pain is often connected to leg pain, particularly when it shoots down a leg. This type of pain is called sciatica. It originates in the lower spine, often because of herniated discs that compress the sciatic nerve (the long nerve running down each leg).

When should I take back pain seriously? 

Back pain is such a common experience that many people tend to ignore it, even when it’s severe. Unfortunately, ignoring your back pain or trying to push through it can do more harm than good. If you have a neurological issue in your spine, continuing your normal activities could lead to lasting damage and even disability. 

So, scheduling a back pain evaluation at Riverhills Neuroscience is important if you’re having any of the following problems:

• Back pain lasts longer than a few weeks
• Pain that doesn’t improve with over-the-counter medication
• Sciatica (back and leg pain)
• Pain along with numbness 
• Pain as well as tingling
• Back pain following an injury
• Difficulty urinating
• Fever and pain
• Unintended weight loss and pain
• Back pain with muscle weakness in a leg
• Notable stiffness or difficulty moving 

These issues could represent a serious back issue — but, fortunately, the causes of back pain are treatable.

Does back pain require surgery?

Most cases of back pain don’t require surgery as long as you reach out for help quickly. 

Riverhills Neuroscience is home to the area’s largest and most experienced group of specialists in neurology, interventional pain management, physical medicine and rehabilitation, rheumatology, behavioral medicine, and neurosurgery. 

This multispecialty expertise allows the specialists to treat your specific cause of back pain using approaches ranging from rehabilitation to medication to minimally invasive procedures, with surgery as a last resort if other treatments aren’t helpful. 

Don’t allow back pain to steal your life. Riverhills Neuroscience uses the most advanced technology to help you recover, so call the office or request more information online now.