There are various reasons why back pain and stiffness can come on suddenly and with no apparent reason. Some causes are obvious, such as sports or traumatic injuries. For example, it would be easy to ascertain the cause of back stiffness when someone hits you in the back while playing sports or if you’re involved in a car accident.
However, you may want to see an orthopedic doctor when back pain or stiffness suddenly occurs without an apparent cause and persists for weeks or months. An orthopedic back specialist from NJ Spine & Orthopedic can help diagnose the cause of your back symptoms and recommend non-surgical or surgical treatments depending on how severe your condition is.
The Anatomy of the Back
Because the back is a complex formation of bones, joints, ligaments, and muscles moving in conjunction with one another to give you a wide range of mobility, there can be many reasons why you might feel pain and stiffness in your back. Strained ligaments, sprained muscles, pinched or irritated nerves, and spine conditions can all impact the pain or stiffness you may be experiencing.
For example, poor posture can put undue pressure and stress on specific muscles in the back. Those muscles weaken after time under pressure and stress and will eventually let you know that in the form of pain and stiffness. If this pain and stiffness doesn’t go away with non-surgical treatments, it may be time to see a spine or neck surgeon for help treating your stiff back.
Besides poor posture being a possible cause of back stiffness, sleeping positions, and even psychological stress can cause or worsen back symptoms. For example, obesity can put undue pressure and stress on muscles, ligaments, and bones, causing back symptoms. If these lead to a stiff back that continues to get worse over time, consider reaching out to a skilled doctor.
More Serious Spinal Conditions That Can Cause Back Stiffness
The spine is not immune to problems that can cause your back to be stiff. Under certain circumstances, the spine can deteriorate faster, causing back problems such as a stiff back. Some of the spinal conditions that can occur that may cause pain or stiffness in your back to be chronic include:
- Herniated discs
- Spondylolisthesis
- Osteoarthritis
- Spinal stenosis
- Compressed or pinched nerves
Disc degeneration and osteoarthritis conditions can threaten the nerves nearby because the spaces in which they pass through become smaller and smaller until the nerves are compressed, pinched, or touched by other parts of the spine. Osteoarthritis can also compromise the structure of the vertebrae, causing slippage and spinal deformity.
If the pain and stiffness in your back persist after several weeks or become so unbearable that it affects your quality of life, it’s time to see an orthopedic doctor. The orthopedic doctor can diagnose the cause of your chronic back problem and get you on the road to relief from your symptoms.
Make an Appointment With the Orthopedic Back Specialists at NJ Spine & Orthopedic
Our orthopedic back specialists at NJ Spine & Orthopedic have access to the most state-of-the-art diagnostic tools that can help pinpoint the cause of your stiff back quickly. Once we help diagnose the cause of your stiff back, we can recommend a course of treatment to get you on the road to recovery.
At NJ Spine & Orthopedic, our orthopedic back specialists can recommend traditional pain management treatments or, if necessary, minimally-invasive surgery to relieve your spine symptoms. If your stiff back persists or is accompanied by other symptoms, call (866) 553-0612 or complete our contact form to make an appointment.