Many people have low back pain. Low back pain is commonly referred to by physicians as a "Black Box." Like an airplane black box, the low back contains alot of structures (information) and sometimes it takes a while to sort through all the information before getting to the root of the problem. Unlike an airplane however, the cause of low back pain is usually multifaceted. This means it may have more than one cause. However even identifying one cause and treating it can lead to significant improvement in pain relief and hence function. One known cause is facet arthritis which goes by many names but it means that small bones connected to the spine have become arthritic and like an arthritic knee can cause pain. If you receive this diagnosis on your MRI and you have bain when you extend your back and/or press on those bony areas then you might be a candidate for facet nerve ablation. This is a technique where either high hear or high cold is used to eliminate the nerves in the area so that you don't feel the pain as much. You will still be able to move and feel touch but the pain will be diminished. This will allow you to continue to function despite the arthritis still being there and is less invasive than major spine surgery. Many people can continue to function even with arthritis in the spine just like a patient with knee arthritis can continue to use their knee if the pain is controlled.
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