Back Pain

Back Pain services offered in Gainesville, FL

Back pain is an almost universal experience for many, and for some, it can be disabling. If you have neck or back pain, get an accurate diagnosis from orthopedic experts Zeshan Hyder, DO, Rick Ramos, MD, and the Synchrony Medical Group team in Gainesville, Florida. They quickly diagnose the cause of your pain and provide you with the most effective treatments to get you back on your feet. Call Synchrony Medical Group to schedule a consultation, or book your appointment online today.

What is back pain?

Your spinal column is the foundation of your neck and back. It consists of a series of vertebrae linked by facet joints, with shock-absorbing discs between each bone and a network of muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, and blood vessels.

Your spinal column also contains a high concentration of nerves. The spinal cord, which is half of your central nervous system (along with your brain), runs down the spinal canal, protected by the vertebrae.

Back pain can affect the cervical spine (neck), thoracic spine (upper back), and/or the lumbar spine (lower back).

What causes back pain?

Common causes of back pain include:

Sports injuries
Muscle strains
Slips and falls
Auto accidents
Whiplash
Radiculopathy (nerve damage)
Osteoarthritis
Herniated discs
Rheumatoid arthritis
Spondylolisthesis (slipping vertebrae)
Osteoporosis
Sciatica
Degenerative disc disease
Spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spine)

Receiving the most appropriate treatment for back pain depends on receiving an accurate diagnosis.

How is back pain diagnosed?

To diagnose back or neck pain, your Synchrony Medical Group provider goes through your medical history and asks about the symptoms you’re experiencing, then carries out a physical exam.

You may also need to undergo tests to pinpoint the location and extent of the injury or degeneration, such as:

X-rays
Myelogram
Bone scan
Computed tomography (CT) scan
Discogram
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
Nerve conduction velocity (NCV) test
Electromyography (EMG)

Back pain can also be a symptom of disease or infection, so you might need a blood test to rule these conditions out.

How is back pain treated?

Mild soft tissue injuries in the neck and back often respond to a combination of rest, over-the-counter pain medication, and gentle exercising. However, if home remedies aren’t helping or your neck and back pain is severe, you should visit Synchrony Medical Group.

The team can provide prescription painkillers, physical therapy, hot and cold compresses, therapeutic ultrasound, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy, and epidural steroid injections. If these approaches don’t provide effective relief, there are also surgical options, such as:

Discectomy or microdiscectomy
Facetectomy
Foraminotomy
Laminectomy or laminotomy
Spinal fusion
Artificial disc implantation
Spinal cord or dorsal root ganglion stimulation

Back problems often lead to extreme discomfort and are a widespread cause of disability. The Synchrony Medical Group team can relieve your pain and help you return to a more active life.

Call the office to schedule a back pain evaluation, or book your appointment online today.