Chronic Back Pain: When It’s Time to Stop Living With It

For many people, back or neck pain begins as an occasional nuisance — something they learn to work around or assume is simply part of getting older. But when pain begins to interfere with work, exercise, sleep, or everyday activities, it may be time to look more closely at what's causing it.

“People can live with back pain for years before seeking help because they assume it’s something they just have to accept,” says Ikenna “IK” Nwachuku, MD, an orthopedic spine surgeon and robotic spine surgery expert at Adventist Health Glendale. “Our goal is to find the source of the problem and help patients get back to living the life they want.”

Understanding what’s behind your back pain

Back and neck pain can have many causes, and the location of the discomfort doesn’t always tell the whole story.

Pain that travels into the shoulder, arm, hip, or leg may actually originate in the spine. Numbness, tingling, weakness or sciatica can also be signs that nerves are being compressed.

Dr. Nwachuku evaluates a wide range of conditions affecting the neck and spine, including arthritis, herniated discs, scoliosis, spinal tumors and injuries.

Determining the underlying cause is an important first step because treatment depends on the individual condition — and not everyone with chronic back pain needs surgery.

For some patients, nonsurgical treatments may provide relief. For others whose symptoms persist or whose condition is more complex, surgery may eventually become an option.

When should you see a doctor for back pain?

An occasional sore back may improve with time and conservative care. Persistent or worsening symptoms deserve more attention.

Consider talking with your primary care provider if you experience:

• Back or neck pain lasting more than several weeks
• Pain that travels into an arm or leg
• Numbness, tingling, or weakness
• Difficulty walking or problems with balance
• Pain that isn't improving with rest, therapy, or medication

An evaluation can help identify the source of the symptoms and determine what treatment options may be appropriate.

How robotic technology is changing spine surgery

When surgery is necessary, advances in technology are giving spine surgeons new tools to plan and perform procedures with greater precision.

At Adventist Health Glendale, Dr. Nwachuku uses robotic-assisted technology that creates a detailed 3D map of a patient’s spine. This allows the surgical team to carefully plan the procedure and precisely guide the placement of surgical implants.

The technology can also enable smaller incisions and reduce disruption to healthy muscle. For many patients, these minimally invasive approaches can contribute to less pain following surgery, earlier mobility, shorter hospital stays, and a faster return to normal activities.

But Dr. Nwachuku emphasizes that technology is a tool — not the starting point for deciding how someone should be treated.

“The technology is important,” he says. “But every treatment plan starts with the patient. We don’t treat an X-ray — we treat the person.”

New options for complex and previous spine surgeries

Robotic technology can be particularly useful in complex cases, including revision surgery for patients who have previously undergone a spinal procedure.

A prior surgery can alter the anatomy of the spine, potentially making another procedure more complicated. Detailed imaging, robotic guidance, and advances in surgical techniques can help surgeons navigate these cases with greater precision.

That may also create possibilities for some patients who had spine surgery years ago but continue to experience pain or other symptoms.

Newer treatment options may address problems related to an earlier procedure or conditions that could not be treated as effectively with the technology available at the time.

For patients who have spent years believing they have exhausted their options, a new evaluation can help determine whether advances in spine care offer another path forward.

Getting back to the life you want

The goal of treating chronic back pain isn’t simply to improve an image or address a problem in the spine. It’s to help people regain function and return to the activities that matter to them.

That starts with understanding why the pain is occurring and developing a treatment plan around the individual patient.

Whether the answer is conservative treatment, minimally invasive surgery, or a more complex robotic-assisted procedure, persistent pain doesn't necessarily have to become a permanent part of life.