Poor posture, repetitive motions, and sports injuries can lead to chronic back pain and other musculoskeletal issues. At Regenerative Medicine and Orthopedics non-surgical treatment options, such as therapeutic, pain-relieving injections are offered. Here is more information about the non-surgical treatments a back doctor can provide:
Trigger Point Injections
Targeted treatments like trigger point injections combined with lifestyle changes address the root cause of a patient’s persistent muscle or back pain. Trigger points are bands or knots of tight muscle that occur when a muscle is overused or oxygen-deprived. They can also form in the connective tissue, or fascia, that surrounds organs and muscles. The lack of relaxation in these trigger points negatively affects muscle function, causing pain and limiting the range of motion. Trigger points in the neck or back can lead to pain in other areas of the body, including the arms and or legs.
A back doctor usually administers trigger point injections with a local anesthetic, such as lidocaine. This numbs the area, providing pain relief and reducing muscle tension to facilitate healing. This also allows athletes to safely train. In our practice, trigger point injections are always done in conjunction with comprehensive rehabilitation plan, which includes therapeutic exercise and lifestyle adjustments.
Platelet-Rich Plasma
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections utilize samples from the patient’s blood to aid the healing process. Platelets are cell fragments that utilize growth factors and healing proteins at injury sites. They help stimulate collagen production to create healthier tissue. PRP therapy can be used to reduce chronic back or nerve pain.
PRP is an office-based treatment. During the process, the platelets are collected from the patient and concentrated. We use a multi-spin protocol and high blood volume draws to achieve high-dose PRP, which has higher platelet counts. Higher platelet counts offer increased benefits for many orthopedic conditions.
The doctor injects the platelets directly into the injured muscle, ligament, joint, or spine. This allows the platelets to travel to the injury site. A doctor uses PRP in trigger point injections to help heal chronic trigger points. Fluoroscopy is an imaging tool used during injections to make sure the medication is placed in the correct location. X-rays and ultrasounds also increase precision during injections.
Steroid Injections
Steroid injections can help relatively quickly with conditions that cause pain through inflammation, such as herniated disks and sciatica. To treat these conditions, a lumbar epidural steroid injection is injected into the epidural space of the spine. This area contains spinal nerves, disc, and connective tissues. Receiving a targeted injection in the precise area of the pain generator allows the steroids to quickly work at the site of pathology. This reduces pain and helps patients regain mobility.
Find a Back Doctor
Patients should visit a back doctor if they are experiencing severe or recurring back pain hear other signs. It may also be time to see a back doctor is if one develops neurological symptoms, such as weakness, numbness or tingling in the legs. Regenerative Medicine and Orthopedics conducts thorough physical examinations and may use MRI scans, X-rays, or diagnostic injections to identify an exact diagnosis and in turn, effective treatment. Patients have the option to upload previous MRIs or X-rays to our website. We also offer free estimates for PRP and cell-based therapy. To learn more about our treatment options, contact us today.