How to Know if You Strained or Sprained Your Back

Lower back pain is something that can affect how someone performs daily tasks. Many people live with back pain and don’t even know what it’s caused by. While it’s difficult to prevent back pain as you age, you don’t have to live with it all the time. At Interventional Orthopedics of Atlanta, Dr. Christopher Williams specializes in diagnosing and treating various back conditions in patients throughout Atlanta, GA.

Common causes of lower back pain

Some of the most common causes of lower back pain include:

• Herniated disk: Our spine is made of individual bones known as vertebrae. Sometimes these bones or the disks that cushion them slip out of place, causing pain, numbness, or tingling.

• Strain: A strain is an injury to a tendon or muscle. Tendons are strong fibrous tissue that connects muscles to bone. When a back strain occurs, these muscles or tendons become pulled, torn, or twisted.

• Sprain: A sprain is the tearing or stretching of a ligament. Ligaments are tissue bands made of fiber that connect two or more bones, where a joint meets. They help keep the joint in place.

• Nerve compression: When a nerve becomes compressed, it disrupts how the nerves function. This can lead to pain or weakness in the lower back. A compressed nerve occurs because of an injury or any repetitive movement that isn’t good for your body. Ultimately, pain from a pinched nerve can also affect other body parts.

• Osteoarthritis: As we age, this condition can worsen. Certain repetitive movements can place stress on the lower back, which can lead to joints and cartilage breaking down.

Dr. Williams can perform a medical assessment and conduct testing to determine the cause of your back pain.

Common back strain or sprain symptoms

Some of the most common symptoms of a strain or sprain include:

• Pain that worsens as you move

• Muscle cramps

• Muscle spasms

• Decreased range of motion

How to treat back sprain or strains

The treatment we use at Interventional Orthopedics of Atlanta depends on your diagnosis. However, the treatment for strains and sprains can be similar. First, Dr. Williams will work to reduce the pain with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication for the first 24 to 48 hours. After this time, we can recommend other treatments, including Regenexx®.

Regenexx works by administering a high concentration of cells to promote the body’s natural healing process. Cellular therapy commonly consists of bone marrow concentrate (BMC) or microfragmented adipose tissue (MFAT), both of which are FDA compliant. We can treat both acute and chronic joint conditions and injuries with Regenexx cellular therapy.

During a consultation at Interventional Orthopedics of Atlanta, Dr. Williams can determine if you are an ideal candidate for the treatment. He will create a unique Regenexx procedure plan specifically for your condition. Before we begin your procedure, we extract cells from bone marrow aspiration or minilipoaspiration and concentrated them based on your condition. He then injects them into the treatment area using image guidance for precise placement. After administration, you will be monitored before you can go home to recover.

Achieve lower back strain or sprain relief

When you’re suffering from aching pain in the lower back, it’s time to schedule an appointment with Dr. Christopher Williams at Interventional Orthopedics of Atlanta. He has the training and experience required to help those suffering from different back conditions and injuries. He understands that pain is your body’s way of telling you something is not right. To achieve back pain relief, schedule a consultation at our Atlanta, GA office today.