Though most of us experience acute lower back pain from time to time, sometimes an episode of lower back pain can call for a visit to your local spine doctor. Before visiting a spine doctor, you may want to start by meeting up with your general practitioner. Based on their assessment, they may recommend you visit a spine clinic or get physical therapy.
When you visit the Center for Spine Care in Dallas, you get the assistance of some of our highly skilled spine doctors in identifying and treating your back problems — who will be able to plan a custom treatment strategy for you. Sometimes that may mean just physical therapy or medicine, other times it may mean surgery. We won’t be able to know ‘til you come in. Email or call us now to schedule your first appointment!
Signs It’s Time to See a Spine Doctor
Back pain is the primary indicator that it is time to see a spine doctor. However, there are different types of back pain, which vary in their need for professional help. The two types of back pain are acute and chronic. Acute back pain is sudden bursts of pain that fade quickly. If these are mild, then you may not necessarily need to rush to see a doctor. However, extreme acute back pain absolutely calls for immediate medical attention, as it could require rapid action to adequately address.
On the other hand, chronic back pain is less sudden but more steadfast. Under certain conditions, which we will soon discuss, you may benefit from making an appointment with a spine doctor. If you have chronic back pain associated with an injury from something like tennis or skiing, it will probably go away on its own. In such cases, you may just want to take some anti-inflammatory medicine, do adequate stretching, and apply ice and heat to help soothe it.
However, one big sign that your back pain problems are more serious is if you have bowel or bladder problems. If you have a hard time going to the bathroom, it could mean that you have a spine tumor or another serious condition. Other signs of more serious spine conditions are:
- Pain traveling down your leg — It may be a sign of radiculopathy, meaning an injured or compressed nerve.
- Difficulty doing everyday activities — If your back pain is so bad that you struggle to do regular, everyday activities, then you may want to schedule an appointment with your spine doctor.
- Tingling legs and feet — This is another sign that there could be pressure on your spine or nerves.
- A traumatic injury — If you have recently been in a car accident or were injured while playing sports and hurt your back, it would be prudent to call your local spine doctor’s office and schedule an appointment, just to make sure you don’t have any serious damage.
Is Spine Surgery Called For?
It’s impossible to know for certain until we look at your specific case history and condition, but in some cases spine surgery is called for. The Center for Spine Care is able to perform a number of different spine-related surgeries. We offer:
- Lumbar disc replacement
- Cervical disc replacement
- Coflex (a non-fusion treatment used to treat degenerative spinal stenosis and other issues)
- Microdiscectomy
- Decompression
- Laminoplasty
- & More
Our spine doctors pride themselves on performing minimally invasive spine surgeries. We focus on doing non-fusion procedures, utilizing motion technology, and implementing injections to reduce your pain and improve the condition of your spine through the least invasive means available today.
Emergency Spine Surgery
Sometimes, getting spine surgery procedures done are optional. It is not always a necessity. However, in other cases, like with a serious medical condition, surgery becomes absolutely necessary. Symptoms that indicate spine surgery is likely required include:
Sudden bowel or bladder incontinence (which could mean nerve damage or cauda equina syndrome)
Constant, severe back pain (which could mean you’ve had an abdominal aortic aneurysm)
Should You Visit a Spine Doctor?
Your general care physician may recommend you visit a spine doctor, or you may decide on your own that you should go to your local spine clinic for a checkup. Generally, the first response for most back pain is going to be physical therapy and medication. Only if they prove unsuccessful does it usually call for surgery. Our office is prepared to do minimally invasive spine surgery as well as pretty much all other cutting edge back pain relief and spine healing practices. If you are in Dallas and are looking for a spine doctor to give you a check-up, then call the Center for Spine Care today! We can help you deal with the trouble of everyday back pain and answer any questions you have about improving your back health and general outlook. We look forward to speaking with you soon!
