Back Pain
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Be Well Medical
Shiva Rastegar, DO
Primary Care located in Hadley, MA
Back pain is common, but you don’t have to let it prevent you from enjoying life to the fullest. At Be Well Medical in Hadley, Massachusetts, osteopathic physician Shiva Rastegar, DO, and her expert staff find and treat the root cause of back pain to relieve your discomfort without addictive pain medicine or surgery. Call the office to book an appointment or schedule one online today.
Back Pain Q & A
What is back pain?
Back pain is an uncomfortable feeling in your upper, middle, or lower back. It could cause symptoms such as:
- Sharp or shooting pain
- Dull aching
- Burning pain
- Numbness
- Tingling
- Stiffness
- Soreness
- Decreased range of motion
Back pain ranges in severity from mild to severe and debilitating. Sometimes it goes away on its own over time, but in other cases, medical intervention is the best way to give you the long-lasting relief you deserve.
What are the risk factors for back pain?
A variety of causes and risk factors can contribute to back discomfort. Examples include:
- Arthritis
- Osteoporosis
- Scoliosis
- Muscle strains or ligament sprains
- Narrowing of the spinal canal
- Bulging or ruptured discs
- Older age
- Wear-and-tear
- Tumors
- Lack of exercise
- Excess body weight
You might injure your back playing sports, having a physically demanding job, lifting something heavy, falling down, or being in a car accident. Sometimes the cause of back pain isn’t clear.
How is the cause of my back pain diagnosed?
To determine the root cause of your back pain, Dr. Rastegar discusses your symptoms and your medical history. She examines your neck, back, and spine, and she may ask you to rotate your body into various positions.
Dr. Rastegar might recommend you undergo blood tests, nerve testing, X-rays, MRIs, CT scans, or other imaging procedures to confirm a diagnosis and develop a treatment plan.
What are common treatments for back pain?
Common back pain treatments Dr. Rastegar may recommend for you include:
Home remedies
Things you can do at home to relieve back discomfort include using ice or heat packs, wearing a back brace, and resting your back while it heals.
Osteopathic manual medicine
Dr. Rastegar offers osteopathic manual medicine techniques to manipulate affected tissues, massage targeted areas, realign your spine, and relieve nerve pressure associated with back pain.
Physical therapy
Physical therapy sessions strengthen tissues in your neck, back, or spine to stimulate natural healing and reduce your risk of reinjury.
Medications
Taking medications can address the underlying cause of back discomfort, such as arthritis, osteoporosis, and inflammation.
Other procedures
Dr. Rastegar might refer you to a highly trained pain specialist if you need an advanced pain-relieving procedure, such as radiofrequency ablation, spinal injections, nerve stimulation, or back surgery.
To get relief from back pain once and for all, call the Be Well Medical office or schedule an appointment online today.
