What Kind of Back Pain do you Have?
Back pain and spinal health are extremely complex, and they’re experienced and treated on a person-by-person basis. For example, one patient with a slipped disc might not be able to perform basic daily tasks due to pain while another might experience no pain at all. Because different treatments don’t work for different kinds of back pain, it’s important to identify the nature of your back pain. This helps your doctor find the source of the pain and create a unique treatment plan, and it can help you make lifestyle changes to reduce the pain you experience.
Bay area disc centers cares about helping patients understand their own pain, so we’ve made a guide to help you identify the back pain you might be experiencing.
Axial Pain
Axial pain, also known as mechanical pain, is one of the most common forms of lower back pain. Unlike other forms of back pain, axial pain is specific to your lower back and doesn’t travel into other areas of your body. If you only have pain in your lower back that gets worse with certain physical activities or postures, and is best alleviated by rest, you might be dealing with axial pain. The location or cause of axial pain doesn’t matter very much when it comes to treatment, which can make it difficult for doctors to identify the exact source of this kind of pain.
Referred Pain
Referred pain is a kind of lower back pain that radiates into surrounding areas like the thighs, buttocks and groin, but rarely reaches past the knees. This isn’t as common as other forms of back pain, and usually isn’t any more serious than axial or radicular pain. The reason pain sometimes refers to other areas of the body has to do with the complicated system of interconnected nerves in our bodies. Damage to one area, like the lower back, can cause surrounding nerves to perceive pain as well. Unfortunately, referred pain is more difficult to diagnose because it’s more difficult to locate the source. A thorough physical exam and a look into your medical history can be helpful in coming to a definitive diagnosis, but there’s no guarantee you’ll be able to learn everything you want to know about your referred pain.
Radicular Pain
Radicular pain is also called sciatica, and it’s a searing electric shock sensation that travels down the path of the spinal nerve and sometimes extends to your thigh. This kind of pain is caused by compression or inflammation or a spinal nerve root. Underlying causes of radicular pain can include a slipped or herniated disc, spinal stenosis, or spondylolisthesis.
Surgery-Free Back Pain Relief at Bay Area Disc Centers
Bay Area Disc Centers offer top-notch spinal decompression with a uniquely advanced approach. We believe patients deserve only the best for chronic back pain, and our team is determined to give you long term relief from sciatica, disc injuries, spinal stenosis, and more. Call or visit our website to learn more about our advanced disc restoration therapy or schedule your first appointment today!