Back pain is one of the most common medical issues for people in the U.S., affecting about 31 million Americans. However, your back is a complicated collection of bones, joints, discs, nerves, and ligaments, so when you are experiencing back pain, it can be hard to determine what exactly is causing the pain.
Identifying whether the pain is muscular or spinal can help your doctor determine the best course of treatment to manage the pain. The cause, duration, and location of the pain can all help determine whether your pain is muscular or spinal.
In this blog post, Dr. Smith discusses the differences between muscle pain and spinal pain and the treatment options for both.
How do I know if the pain is muscular?
Cause
Muscle pain is significantly more common than spinal pain. It can be caused by an injury or inflammation in your muscles. Putting physical stress on your back from lifting, twisting, or overextending can cause back pain, especially in your lower back. Repetitive movements such as yardwork or moving heavy objects can lead to back pain. Sitting or sleeping in uncomfortable positions for an extended period of time can also cause back pain.
Duration
In most cases, back pain caused by muscles should fade after a few days. If you strained a muscle in your back, the pain may last longer, up to a few weeks.
Location
Back pain caused by the muscles is typically more localized in a single location. It may only hurt when you’re in a specific physical position or when you move your body in a certain way. If the back pain is severe, pain may extend to the muscles in your buttocks or hips. You can experience a burning or shooting sensation that causes tightness or stiffness, but it does not typically radiate out to other parts of the body.
Treatment
Muscular back pain can typically be treated with rest and conservative treatments such as heating pads, ice, and OTC pain relievers and creams. Stretching and physical therapy can help loosen stiff muscles and prevent further strains.
How do I know if the pain is Spinal?
Cause
Spinal pain is much less common than muscular pain. The most common causes of spinal pain are acute injury, arthritis, wear-and-tear on your vertebrae, facet joint syndrome, a slipped or herniated disk, bone spurs, osteoarthritis, and spinal infection. Except in the case of an acute injury, spinal pain does not typically pop up overnight.
Location
Because it involves your nerves, spinal pain tends to radiate out to various parts of the body. It can be commonly felt through the legs, glutes, and groin. It may even feel like it’s radiating through your back, up into your shoulders or into other surrounding areas. You may also experience numbness or the feeling of pins and needles.
Duration
Pain is considered chronic if it lasts for longer than three months. If your back pain has not resolved with conservative treatments after several months, it may be time to speak to a specialist.
Treatment
Chronic pain from a possible spinal condition needs to be checked by a doctor who will run tests such as an X-ray, CT scan, bone scan, MRI or EMG to help diagnose the cause of the pain. Depending on the cause, treatments may include medications, physical therapy, injections and potentially, surgery.
In Summary
The most important thing to remember is to listen to your body and take your pain seriously. Rest when needed, practice healthy habits, and if you are experiencing chronic pain, whether it is muscular or spinal, a Pain Management specialist can help identify the cause of your pain and design a customized treatment plan to help you manage it.
If you have back pain, joint pain, neck pain, or any other type of pain, give us a call or you can request a consultation and we’ll discuss your options.