Back Pain Doctors & Spinal Treatment Specialists

Back pain is the most common reason for doctor visits and missed days of work. The odds of you having debilitating back pain sometime in your life is a staggering 80 percent. But consider how dependent your body is on your back muscles and your spine. Mid-back pain may not be as common as lower back pain, but it still dramatically affects your life. When you can’t walk, work or exercise without pain, you can’t enjoy life. If that sharp pain in your middle back never goes away, visit back pain specialist Dr. Branko Skovrlj at NU-Spine in Edison, NJ for a diagnosis. Call the team of spine pain doctors today for an evaluation.

How Does Back Pain Show Up?

Your spine supports the weight of your body, allows flexible movements and protects your central nervous system. Due to its importance and delicate anatomy, your back becomes more prone to injury and damage the older you get. When the pain develops around your thoracic spine, it’s known as mid-back pain.

Middle back pain happens in the area below your neck, but above the bottom of your rib cage. It’s not the most common type of back pain, but it still affects your day-to-day activities if it hits you. Acute mid-back pain starts suddenly and lasts for up to six weeks. Chronic pain, on the other hand, is long-term. It develops over a longer period and stays with you day after day. Some symptoms of back pain include:

• Muscle aches
• Dull pain
• A burning sensation
• Sharp, shooting or stabbing pain
• Pain that gets worse with bending, lifting, standing or walking
• Pain radiating down your leg
• Muscle tightness or stiffness
• Numbness or tingling in your arms, legs, chest or belly
• Weakness in your arms or legs
• Loss of bowel or bladder control

With an early diagnosis at the NU-Spine back pain center facility in Edison, NJ, spinal doctors can restore your back to its full function. Our renowned back pain specialists, led by neurosurgeon Dr. Branko Skovrlj use a multi-disciplinary approach to middle back pain treatment to ensure the best outcomes. Come into the modern practice whenever you’re experiencing back pain.

What Causes Back Pain?

Back pain can originate in any area of your back, neck or hips for a variety of reasons. That’s why you must get a reliable diagnosis from an experienced back pain doctor. Only after determining the right cause of your pain can you be effectively treated. Some of the typical causes of back pain include:

• A muscle or ligament strain
• Poor sleeping habits
• Aging that leads to degeneration of the bones, joints, muscles and ligaments
• Thinning bones, often caused by osteoporosis
• Bulging or herniated discs, an ailment that requires chronic back pain treatment
• Infections of your kidneys or bladder
• Pelvic inflammatory disease
• Scoliosis, a condition where the spine curves abnormally
• Having to push, pull, lift or carry heavy loads often
• Long driving sessions without regular breaks to stretch
• Muscle damage due to poor exercising techniques
• Weakened muscles due to lack of activity
• Fractured vertebrae from an accident or fall
• Incorrect posture while sitting or standing, leading to spinal damage
• Degenerative joint disease in your neck or lower back
• Osteoarthritis, (OA) which affects over 30 million adults in the country
• Ankylosing spondylitis is also a type of arthritis that affects the spine
• A tumor in the middle back
• Cancer of the spine

Am I at Risk for Back Pain?

You may be at a greater risk of developing mid-back pain if you fall into certain categories, some of which are in your control and some aren’t. Your risk increases if you:

• Work at a job requiring heavy lifting or long periods of sitting
• Are obese or overweight
• Are advanced in years
• Are pregnant
• Don’t participate in physical fitness exercises
• Smoke cigarettes
• Have certain genetic factors
• Suffer specific medical conditions, such as arthritis

The NU-Spine spinal doctors use advanced technology to diagnose and treat the underlying cause of your mid-back pain. Your back pain doctor walks you through the diagnosis process so you know what to expect. He also discusses the most effective treatment options for your troublesome back, based on your physical health and diagnosis.

What Non-Invasive Treatments for Back Pain Exist?

If you search for back pain treatment near me in Edison, NJ, you’ll find the NU-Spine spine treatment practice. Dr. Skovrlj, your experienced back pain treatment doctor, uses a combination of methods including non-surgical, traditional and surgical procedures for the best results. This is not a one-size-fits-all treatment center.

Your spinal surgeon uses advanced technology — such as MRI, X-ray, CT scans, electromyography (EMG) and blood tests — to reach an accurate diagnosis. From there, your initial, non-invasive treatment options may include:

• Pain relief medication, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) and analgesics
• Topical rubs and ointments
• Anti-depressants
• Cortisone steroid injections for severe back pain
• Physiotherapy and occupational therapy

Why May I Need Surgery for My Back Pain?

If the non-invasive therapies prove inadequate to address the pain and other symptoms you’re experiencing, back pain surgery may be the next option. If you have nagging pain that radiates down your leg or progressive muscle weakness, the cause may be nerve compression. Your spinal specialist knows the best minimally invasive techniques to restore function and how to relieve back pain, such as:

• Endoscopic posterior cervical foraminotomy or discectomy
• Lumbar foraminotomy
• Laminectomy
• Minimally invasive laminectomy
• Corpectomy
• Discectomy
• Hemilaminectomy
• Microdiscectomy
• Lumbar decompression
• Spinal fusion
• TLIF
• X-LIF eXtreme lateral interbody fusion
• Revision surgery
• Spinal reconstruction surgery

At NU-Spine, The Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Institute in NJ, you have access to a highly trained team of spinal specialists who use a patient-centered approach. They tailor treatment to suit your diagnosis for the most effective outcome. Don’t let your mid-back pain inhibit your normal life. Contact the best spinal doctor and get back to a full range of activities.