If you're one of the millions suffering from chronic back pain, you're not alone. Back pain affects over 80% of adults at some point, often stemming from conditions like herniated discs, spinal stenosis, or degenerative disc disease. Traditional open spine surgery, while effective, can mean weeks of recovery, significant scarring, and prolonged downtime.
For the 80% of adults who experience it at some point in their lives, the go-to treatment is often over-the-counter pain relievers, an ice pack, and rest. But while most back pain does go away on its own, there are times when toughing it out at home isn’t a good idea.
Back pain can make getting through the day hard, but it can make getting a good night’s sleep even harder. It can be tough to find a comfortable position so you can doze off. And you might not even be able to get in and out of bed without pain.
Changes to any part of your back—such as ones that may occur with aging, getting hurt, or having other medical conditions—can lead to back pain. It can start suddenly or come on slowly. It may feel like a dull, constant ache, or a sudden, sharp pain.
Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a type of arthritis that primarily affects the spine. It can cause pain and stiffness, potentially leading to reduced mobility and, in severe cases, spinal deformity.
