Lower Back Pain Treatment New Jersey

Lower back pain can present in many different ways.

Symptoms may include:

• Dull aching pain
• Sharp pain with movement
• Muscle spasms
• Pain when standing or walking
• Pain after prolonged sitting
• Pain that radiates into the buttocks
• Sciatica
• Numbness or tingling
• Leg weakness

Pain patterns often provide important clues about the underlying cause.

Causes of Lower Back Pain

Lumbar Disc Herniation

When a disc in the lower back tears and presses against a nearby nerve root, it causes both local back pain and radiating pain down the leg, sciatica. It can range from a manageable ache to a debilitating electric shock sensation that makes sitting impossible.

Facet Joint Arthritis

The facet joints connect vertebrae at the back of the spine. When they become arthritic or inflamed, they cause a deep, chronic aching pain that is typically worse in the morning and with extension movements like standing up straight or bending backward.

Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction

The sacroiliac joint connects the spine to the pelvis. When it’s inflamed or unstable, it causes pain in the lower back and buttocks that’s frequently misdiagnosed as a disc problem. It’s one of the most commonly overlooked sources of lower back pain.

“I find Sacroiliac joint pain to be one of the most under diagnosed conditions I see when evaluating patients with low back pain. This pain in the saddle as I like to call it, can produce pain into the hips and thighs. It can worsen with prolonged sitting, standing or even lying down,” says Dr. Koppel.

Spinal Stenosis

Narrowing of the spinal canal compresses the nerves traveling through it, causing lower back pain combined with leg heaviness or weakness that worsens with walking and improves with sitting or bending forward. Spinal stenosis can lead to neurogenic claudication, which is leg pain which starts after walking several blocks.

Muscle and Ligament Strain

Acute strain from lifting, twisting, or direct trauma is very common and typically resolves within a few weeks with conservative care. When lower back pain persists beyond six to eight weeks, a structural cause in the spine is usually involved.

Finding the True Cause of Your Lower Back Pain

Most MRIs in patients over 40 show multiple findings. The scan alone cannot tell you which finding is causing the pain. Dr. Koppel uses detailed history, physical examination, and, when needed, diagnostic injections to confirm the pain source before treating it. A diagnostic nerve block that provides temporary relief confirms which structure is responsible; that information then drives the treatment plan.

Treatment Options

• Epidural steroid injections: for disc herniations and nerve root compression
• Lumbar injection therapy: targeted nerve root, facet joint, or SI joint treatment
• Radiofrequency ablation: for confirmed facet joint or sacroiliac joint pain
• Minimally invasive discectomy: for disc herniations not responding to injections
• MILD procedure: for spinal stenosis causing leg pain with walking
• PRP and regenerative cell therapy: for disc degeneration and soft tissue healing

Lower Back Pain After an Accident

Lower back pain frequently develops after:

• Car accidents
• Workplace injuries
• Slip and fall accidents

Some injuries may not become fully apparent for several days.

Dr. Koppel accepts PIP insurance and treats workers’ compensation patients throughout New Jersey.

When Should You See a Doctor?

Schedule an evaluation if:

• Pain lasts longer than four weeks
• Pain continues returning
• Pain travels into your leg
• You experience numbness or tingling
• Walking becomes difficult
• Pain interferes with work or sleep

Seek emergency medical attention immediately if you develop loss of bowel or bladder control, numbness in the groin area, or sudden weakness in both legs.

Why Choose Dr. Todd Koppel?

Successful treatment begins with an accurate diagnosis.

Dr. Koppel has helped patients throughout New Jersey manage lower back pain using advanced interventional pain management techniques and personalized treatment plans.

Patients choose Dr. Koppel because he offers:

• Nearly 30 years treating lower back pain
• Fellowship training at the Hospital for Special Surgery
• Advanced image guided procedures
• Personalized treatment plans
• Conservative care before surgery
• Expertise treating both acute and chronic lumbar spine conditions