When is it serious enough to see your doctor?

Back pain can lay you out for days or longer. Simple, everyday actions, such as picking up your child or going to work, may seem — or may be — impossible.

Lower back pain is a common problem. Four out of five adults will experience significant low back pain at some point in their lives. Most back pain will heal on its own with a little rest, an ice pack followed by heat, stretching and exercise, or an over-the-counter medication.

The majority of lower back problems, such as those caused by an injury or improper lifting, will disappear in a few days or weeks with care that doesn’t involve surgery. But some back pain —usually associated with aging and the wear-and-tear of daily living — may call for surgery or other active medical intervention.

When your pain stems from a more significant spine problem, it might be a relief to know that one of the best teams of back specialists in the country is right here in Chicago at the Spine and Back Center at Rush University Medical Center. Rush is the preferred medical center for the Chicago Bulls (and the Chicago White Sox), and home to team physicians for both.

When to Get Help

“If your condition doesn’t improve within a couple of weeks or it’s associated with any kind of numbness or weakness in the legs, bowel problems or trouble sleeping, those are red flags, meaning that you need to see a spine expert,” says Sheila Dugan, MD, a physiatrist (a specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation) at Rush University Medical Center.

The most common reason for lower back surgery is to repair a slipped or bulging disc. Discs act as shock absorbers that cushion and stabilize the vertebrae. As discs age, they may begin to protrude or collapse, putting pressure on the nerve root that leads to a leg or foot. This painful condition is called sciatica.

Doctors will try nonsurgical treatments for pain relief first, such as stretching, medication or spinal injections. Physicians at the Spine and Back Center at Rush use image-guided technology for spinal injections, which allows them to place the injected medication at the identified source of the patient’s pain. The injectables are usually steroids and anesthetic agents.

Innovations at Rush University Medical Center

If such treatments do not stop the pain, surgery may be the next step.

The Spine and Back Center at Rush employs a multidisciplinary approach. A group of neurosurgeons, orthopedic surgeons and physiatrists collaborate to pinpoint the source of pain and get patients back on their feet again, literally; sometimes with surgery, many times without.

Specialists perform the latest and most innovative treatments, including minimally invasive surgeries and artificial lumbar and cervical disc replacement — procedures that are available at only a handful of centers nationwide.

Minimally invasive surgeries use smaller incisions and image-guided technology to maneuver instruments between muscle tissue, rather than cutting through them. These procedures usually mean less pain, shorter hospital stays and quicker recovery times than conventional surgery.

The multidisciplinary approach doesn’t end with diagnosis and surgery. Physiatrists, physical therapists and other specialists help patients with exercise, stretching and other activities. And nutritionists can help if extra weight is putting a strain on your back.

Putting Back Pain Behind You

“We really want to move patients beyond just getting rid of their symptoms. We want them to take care of their backs and not become repeat customers,” says Dugan. “We not only try to get rid of pain, but we try to restore function and get people back to their lives.”

If you’d like to learn more about spine and back care, join us at Rush for a FREE wellness event, “Spine and Back Health: Ask the Experts” on Saturday, May 6 between 9 a.m. and noon or Wednesday, May 24 between 6 and 8:30 p.m. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions of our expert panel, following their presentations. To register, call (888) 352-RUSH (7874).

To schedule an appointment with a physician at RUSH or for general information, call (888) 352-RUSH (7874).