Is Back Pain Inevitable As I Age?


When you are experiencing back pain, it can be difficult to get through your day and do the things you need to do. Walking, sitting down, twisting, and picking things up suddenly become very hard to do when your back hurts. 

Dr. Brian J. Fuller is a pain medicine and physical medicine specialist practicing in Denver Colorado. Dr. Fuller is board-certified in pain medicine, electrodiagnostic medicine, and physical medicine and rehabilitation, and provides you with top-notch medical care. He has many years of experience diagnosing and treating back pain, and he develops a treatment plan that treats your symptoms and gets you back to living your life. 

What causes back pain?

Back pain is an extremely common ailment, and is one of the biggest reasons that people miss work or school. The back is a complex part of the body, composed of the spine and many joints, tendons, ligaments, and muscles. A problem with any of these parts can cause pain.

Some of the most common causes of back pain are:

There are many other injuries and conditions that can cause back pain. The only way to discover the exact cause of your back pain is to be examined and diagnosed by a medical doctor.

Is back pain inevitable as I age?

There are a number of conditions that tend to develop as people get older, making some back pain inevitable as you age. The discs that separate your vertebrae wear down by drying out and shrinking, a condition known as degenerative disc disease. This process can be slowed down significantly by weight management combined with regular exercise.

Age is a major factor in the development of other conditions that cause back pain, such as spinal stenosis, osteoarthritis, and sciatica. These are also caused by the wear and tear on your spine as you get older. A spine doctor is able to identify these conditions in their early stages, minimizing your discomfort while slowing the progress of degradation. 

Treatments for back pain

Once Dr. Fuller has identified the causes of your back pain, he develops a treatment plan that relieves your symptoms while addressing the underlying reasons for your pain. Dr. Fuller typically recommends physical therapy first, to strengthen your muscles before employing other treatments. 

With careful management of any conditions and injuries you have, you don’t have to accept and live with back pain. The key is being under the supervision of a spine physician who knows your medical history and provides you with a carefully developed treatment plan that manages your conditions and keeps them from worsening. Dr. Fuller takes the time to understand what you’re experiencing and finds treatment options that address your symptoms while treating your underlying conditions.

Back pain can make it very difficult to get through your day and do the things you need to do. However, back pain is not inevitable as you age. With proper management of any injuries or conditions you have, you will be able to live a comfortable and healthy life, doing the things you want to do.

To set up an appointment at Mountain Spine & Pain Physicians, call our office or use our handy online booking tool to schedule an appointment at a time that works for you. 

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