3) Degenerative Conditions
Degenerative conditions such as osteoarthritis and spinal stenosis can lead to chronic back pain. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, affecting over 20 million people in the United States. Symptoms of osteoarthritis include joint pain, stiffness, limited range of motion, and joint deformity. Spinal stenosis occurs when an overgrowth of abnormal bone growth pinches off nerve roots.
In most cases, degenerative conditions are either dictated by genetic predisposition or a traumatic event or can simply come with aging. Various treatments are used to treat back pain, including physical therapy, exercise, medication, steroid injections, decompression surgery, and surgical fusion.
