Los Angeles Spine Surgeon Says Lower Back Pain Is a Leading Cause Of Lost Productivity

Los Angeles, CA - “For some, lower back pain limits their activity only a few days at a time,” says spine surgeon K. Rad Payman, M.D. “Many others, however, suffer from chronic pain that disrupts their quality of life and prevents them from being able to perform their duties at work.” 

 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 26 million adults between ages 20 and 64 experience back pain regularly (http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus06.pdf). Lower back pain is also the leading cause of lost work days in the United States.   

 

A wide variety of issues can cause lower back pain. These often include:  

Nonspecific lower back pain: While it may seem like a misnomer to say that the cause of pain is “nonspecific,” this is the diagnosis in many with acute pain. This type of pain is rarely chronic enough to lead to disability, as it usually disappears within a month to six weeks. Doctors typically recommend that patients whose back pain cannot be traced to any specific cause attempt to remain as active as possible, and treat the pain with over-the-counter analgesics. 

 

Spinal stenosis: When the open spaces within the spinal column narrow, this puts a lot of pressure on the spinal cord. Because this cord is surrounded by nerves, this often leads to pain. Spinal stenosis is a chronic ailment, and can cause disabling pain. While there is no cure to reverse the narrowing, there are several approaches to treating spinal stenosis. This includes bed rest, heat, over-the-counter medication, spinal manipulation and other chiropractic therapy, and spinal surgery. 

 

Prolapsed discs: More commonly known as a “slipped disc”, a prolapsed disc causes pain by putting pressure on a nerve root in the same way as spinal stenosis. Nerve root pain from a prolapsed disc is treated on a case-by-case basis, depending on the individual's symptoms and history.

 

Back injuries: Straining the muscles and ligaments in the back is a common cause of acute pain, and can lead to ongoing issues. These injuries are typically caused by lifting, twisting or a sudden movement. 

 

Other causes of lower back pain that commonly cause limited productivity and disability include failed back surgery, scoliosis, disk breakdown, or ruptured disks and arthritis. 

For more information on non-surgical, surgical and minimally invasive procedures for treatment of lower back pain visit www.TheSpineMD.com and call Advanced Spine Institute at 818.501.2001. Advanced Spine Institute maintains offices in Encino, Valencia, Lancaster, Ridgecrest and Bakersfield, CA.