Back Pain

Why does my back hurt?

Low back pain is one of the most common reasons adults seek medical care, and it rarely has a single cause. Pain can come from the discs between the vertebrae, the facet joints that link them, the sacroiliac joints at the base of the spine, the surrounding muscles and ligaments, or compressed nerves. Age-related degeneration, injury, arthritis, and prior spine surgery can all play a role.

Because so many structures can generate similar pain, an accurate diagnosis matters more than anything else. Treating the wrong pain generator wastes time and prolongs suffering.

When should I see a pain specialist?

Most episodes of back pain improve within a few weeks. It's time for a specialist evaluation when pain persists beyond six weeks, keeps returning, radiates into a leg, disturbs sleep, or limits work and daily activity despite rest, physical therapy, or medication. Seek care promptly for back pain with numbness in the groin, loss of bladder or bowel control, fever, or unexplained weight loss.

How is back pain diagnosed?

Dr. Eaddy combines a detailed history and physical examination with a careful review of your imaging — X-ray, CT, or MRI. When the source remains unclear, diagnostic injections can confirm or exclude a suspected pain generator before committing to a treatment plan.

How is back pain treated?

Treatment is matched to the diagnosis and starts with the least invasive effective option. Depending on the source of your pain, the plan may include epidural steroid injections, facet joint or medial branch blocks, radiofrequency ablation to provide longer-lasting relief from facet-related pain, sacroiliac joint injections, and medication management. For chronic pain that hasn't responded to these measures — including pain that persists after spine surgery — spinal cord stimulation offers a proven, reversible next step.