• Approx. 85% of Americans experience back pain in their life time.
• Back problems are the most frequent cause of activity limitations in working-age adults.
• If chiropractic care, physical therapy, and medications etc., are not successful there are many options rather than open surgery, it is time to add Interventional Pain Management to your treatment plan.

Back pain affects approximately 85% of Americans at some time in their lives and is the leading cause of visits to the doctor next to the common cold. In people under the age of 45, low back pain is the most prevalent cause of disability.

• The vertebral column is composed of 33 individual bones called vertebrae:
  Cervical (neck) 7vertebrae
• Thoracic (mid back) 12 vertebrae
• Lumbar (low back) 5 vertebrae
• Sacrum 5 fused vertebrae
• Coccyx (tail bone) 4 vertebrae
  
  Located between the bones in our spine are discs which act as the shock absorbers for the spine.

Spine injuries can be painful. You may not remember the injury—but your back does, and that pain is trying to tell you something.  Back pain is more than just herniated discs. Pinched nerves, sprains, strains, age and degeneration are among other possible causes.
Stressful or irregular movements cause most back pain. With time and rest or conservative treatment such as physical therapy or chiropractic care those will get better. Unfortunately, in more severe cases, back pain demands medical attention and treatment and possibly even surgery. But even severe pain may not require severe treatment. Due to the advances in minimally invasive spinal care, many cases that used to require open surgery in the past no longer do.

Back pain can be:

• Acute, lasting less than 3 months. Most people gain relief after 4 to 6 weeks of home treatment.
• Recurrent, a repeat episode of acute symptoms. Most people have at least one episode of recurrent low back pain.
• Chronic, lasting longer than 3 months.

The term "low back pain" is used to describe a spectrum of symptoms. Depending on the cause, back pain may be dull, burning, or sharp, covering a broad area or confined to a single point. It can come on gradually or suddenly and may or may not be accompanied by muscle spasms or stiffness.
The most common causes of back pain are:

• Acute (traumatic) back injury may occur due to:
• slips, trips and falls
• auto accident
• sedentary lifestyle (with occasional lifting)
• heavy and/or awkward loads
• improper lifting technique
• Chronic back injury may result from poor posture
  and/or improper lifting technique combined with
  overuse.

Additionally, genetics and overall physical fitness
may affect spine health.

• Neck or back pain is worsening with time
• Pain affects every day activities
• Pain gets worse when laying down
• Arm or leg weakness or numbness
• Numbness or tingling extending down the arm or hands
• Loss of bowel or bladder control

Contact Dr. Spiel immediately if you have back pain that is severe, persistent or sudden.
During your initial visit, you will be greeted by our friendly office staff and brought into the examination room. Dr. Spiel and a physician assistant will ask you questions and perform some basics tests. This is to try to locate the source of your pain and develop the best treatment plan for you.
You will be asked for information about your pain and any prior treatment you have had, how you acquired your injury, your current symptoms. A physical exam, such as bending in various directions, checking the movement of your arms and legs and a test of your reflexes will follow.
Dr. Spiel might request some additional tests to help diagnose your condition. Typical tests include an x-ray, a CT /CAT scan, or MRI.
Some other tests will help Dr. Spiel know the true cause of your pain so that the repairs can be done to get you back on your feet.

A new minimally invasive procedure, utilizing a medical laser, is performed on an outpatient basis with a thin, telescope-like instrument called an endoscope, which is inserted into the disc herniation. The endoscope is connected to a tiny video camera which displays an inside view of the disc which is projected onto a monitor for the doctor to review. A small laser is then passed into the disc, vaporizing the herniation!

Typically, minimally invasive spinal procedures allow for the same or better outcomes as conventional open spine surgery with a shorter recovery period.
Benefits of minimally invasive spinal procedures include:
- Performed on an outpatient basis.
- Non surgical procedure.
- Reduced postoperative pain.
- Shorter recovery time.
- No cutting or disruption of surrounding muscles and ligaments

Interventional pain is a specialty in medicine focusing on minimally invasive, state of the art technologies, most commonly utilizing needles, probes and wands, to address underlying structural abnormalities to relieve pain.  Due to the advances in technology and medicines, many of the problems which used to require surgery no longer do.

If you think you may be affected by the following,
contact Dr. Spiel for a consultation:

• Neck Pain
• Sciatica
• Knee Pain
• Numbness
• Fibromyalgia
• Muscle Spasm
• Shoulder Pain
• Herniated Discs           
• Pinched Nerves
• Sport Injuries
• Low Back Pain
• Myofascial Pain
• Radiculopathy
• Spinal Stenosis
• Failed Back Surgery
• Diabetic Neuropathy
• Work Injuries
• Automobile Accident Injuries
• Complex Regional Pain Syndrome       
• Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy
• Pain Extending down the Arms or Legs