Middle Back Conditions We Treat
Mid-back pain stems from a wide range of potential causes. You can be confident you’ll receive an accurate diagnosis for your condition, serving as a starting point for treatment. Dr. George J.
Arcos treats mid-back conditions such as:
Spinal discs are soft, jelly-like materials that absorb shock in the spine. As disc walls weaken, the inner material may bulge outward and put pressure on nearby nerves. If the disc wall tears completely through, it is known as a herniation.
Spinal discs are known to degenerate with age, causing a loss in flexibility and leading to stiffness, aches, and an inability to absorb shock and avoid injury.
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)
CRPS is a rare chronic pain condition. When an injury or surgery causes extensive nerve damage, the pain signals may be disproportionate to the discomfort expected from the original injury. The pain may also continue long after the initial injury heals.
Failed Back Surgery Syndrome (FBSS)
FBSS describes persistent symptoms patients experience after back or neck surgery. Patients and their surgeons have an expected outcome from the surgery-that their spine pain would be minimized or eliminated-and in many cases, that outcome does not happen. This can lead to extensive scar tissue, spinal instability, stiffness, and sometimes even more pain. Post laminectomy syndrome is a common variation that specifically arises after a failed laminectomy.
To prevent excessive twisting and keep the spine stable, your vertebrae are braced by a series of facet joints. Each joint is surrounded by cartilage to allow smooth motion. As this cartilage breaks down, the resulting stiffness and pain are known as facet syndrome.
Radiculopathy refers to any condition that irritates or compresses a nerve, whether it’s a slipped disc, a bone spur, or any other cause. The irritation disrupts sensory signals, causing burning pain, tingling, or numbness that radiate out from the source.
Also called osteoarthritis, degenerative joint disease occurs as spinal cartilage degrades due to wear and tear. It causes pain and stiffness and is among the most common spinal conditions.
A network of connective tissues, called ligaments, is responsible for connecting and stabilizing the spinal joints. When one is stretched or torn, often due to trauma, the resulting damage is called a sprain.
Ribs can be injured from trauma, car accidents, or surgery. The pain can radiate from the back to the chest through the intercostal nerves.
Our Solutions for Mid-Back Pain
Dr. George J. Arcos is proficient in a wide range of cutting-edge, minimally invasive procedures to relieve pain in the middle of the back (thoracic spine).
These include:
