Common Conditions Leading to Back Pain Include:
Degenerated disc: general wear and tear makes discs susceptible to injury
Bulging disc: a protruding disc pinching a nerve
Herniated disc: ruptured disc pressing on a nerve
Spinal Stenosis: narrowing of the spinal canal pressing on the spinal cord
Spondyloisthesis: damaged joints may lead to vertebrae slipping out of place, pressing the spinal cord or nerve roots
(All of the above disc conditions may lead to what’s known as sciatica)
Minimally Invasive Procedures for Back Pain Relief
Anti-inflammatory and/or anesthetic injections administered at the site of the pain, and most commonly performed in outpatient facilities. These procedures may provide pain relief for weeks and up to a few months depending on the case:
Epidural steroid injections: administered in the epidural space of the spinal cord and used for inflammations secondary to disc problems or pinched nerves relieving inflammation and pain.
Trigger point injections: performed on the site of muscle pain, improving blood flow and reducing pain.
Selective nerve-root blocks: performed on selected nerves related to disc problems or pinched nerves, relieving pain from those nerve areas
Facet joint blocks: performed for temporary joint pain relief in preparation for more long-treatments such as facet radiofrequency
