What Causes Back and Neck Pain?

The spine is complex, housing interconnected vertebrae, intervertebral discs, ligaments, tendons, muscles, facet joints and nerves. Neck pain may occur from problems with supporting soft tissues such as the muscles, tendons and ligaments or from injuries to the bones and discs of the spine. However, soft-tissue injuries (such as sprains) are most common. Another frequent cause of neck pain is cervical disc and joint degeneration—the medical term for this is “spondylosis.” This condition describes general wear and tear—or osteoarthritis—often accompanied by bone spurs that form around the joints of the spine RC.

The causes of pain in the low back are similar to the neck. Simply moving, bending, or lifting the wrong way can trigger back pain and spasms. As people age, back pain becomes more common. Spondylosis, like the neck, can occur in the low back, typically first appearing after the age of 30.

Potential reasons for low back pain include:

Overactivity/soft tissue strain
Disc injury
Herniated Discs
Disc degeneration
Degenerative spondylolisthesis
Spinal stenosis
Scoliosis
Bone fractures or tumors

Less frequent causes of back pain can result from a history of cancer, arterial disease, and other medical conditions.

When to Visit the Neck and Back Specialist

While types of neck and back pain can be temporary, certain symptoms may indicate your pain will not go away on its own. If you experience any of the following, it is important to seek precision diagnosis and treatment from a professional neck and back specialist:

Severe pain that has not responded to over-the-counter medication, heat/ice application, rest and other initial treatment steps
Prolonged pain that lasts longer than two weeks
Sharp or shooting pain, combined with numbness, tingling or weakness in the shoulder, arm, buttocks or legs.
Mobility problems caused by pain, such as difficulty when turning your head, standing, walking or performing daily tasks

If you have any of the following symptoms, it is vital to seek immediate medical attention, as these can indicate a serious condition: dizziness, confusion, fever, lack of bowel/bladder control, and a loss of coordination.

How a Back, Neck, and Spine Physicians Can Help

At the EmergeOrtho—Triangle Region Spine Center, our physicians and spine surgeons establish personalized treatment plans, based on precision diagnosis. X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computerized axial tomography (CAT or CT) scans, and bone density tests, in addition to thorough physical examinations, enable your neck and spine specialist to determine an accurate diagnosis.

Once a spinal disorder has been identified, a personalized treatment plan can be implemented.

Under the leadership of Dr. David Musante, our Spine Center physicians routinely treat:

Degenerative cervical and lumbar disorders
Disc herniation
Spinal stenosis
Deformity
Scoliosis
Trauma
Pars fracture/Pars defect
Cervical disc degeneration

Our Spine Center doctors utilize a multidisciplinary approach when addressing diseases and disorders of the back, neck, and spine. We strive to apply conservative treatment methods whenever possible. We have an entire team specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation as well as physical therapy, providing safe and evidence-based pain management strategies.

And, we have a dedicated staff of highly-adept and practiced spine surgeons, should surgery be recommended for a spinal disorder.

Our Spine Center surgical team performs a wide range of innovative and minimally-invasive surgical approaches, which include: