Back Pain That Keeps Coming Back Deserves More Than Another Round of Rest
Most back pain improves on its own within a few weeks. If yours hasn’t and you’ve already tried rest, medication, physical therapy, or chiropractic care without lasting relief, you are not dealing with a typical back problem.
Persistent back pain usually has a specific structural or physiological cause. Finding that cause and treating it directly is what specialist pain medicine is for.
We evaluate it thoroughly, identify the structural or neurological source where possible, and build a treatment plan around what we find.
Talk to a SpecialistOr Call Brock Pain Medicine: (469) 742-9950
Why Does Back Pain Persist?
The back is a complex structure — vertebrae, discs, joints, ligaments, muscles, and nerves all functioning together. When something goes wrong with any of those components, pain can develop. And because so many different structures can be involved, finding the actual source requires more than a surface-level evaluation.
Some of the most common reasons back pain becomes chronic rather than resolving on its own:
The underlying structural problem — a disc, a joint, a nerve — has not been identified or addressed
A condition like degenerative disc disease or spinal stenosis has progressed beyond what conservative care can manage
The SI joint or facet joints are contributing to the pain, but have not been evaluated
Nerve involvement is generating pain independent of the original tissue injury
Prior treatment has managed symptoms without addressing the source
Understanding which of these is driving your pain is the first job of a specialist evaluation. Until that question is answered, treatment is guesswork.
Talk to a SpecialistBack Pain Conditions We Treat
Back pain is not a diagnosis — it is a symptom. The conditions below represent the most common underlying causes that bring patients to Brock Pain Medicine.
Lumbar disc herniation
A disc between your vertebrae pushes outward and presses on nearby nerves, causing back pain, leg pain, numbness, or weakness. Often manageable without surgery.
Degenerative disc disease
The cushioning discs between vertebrae break down over time, reducing their ability to absorb load and causing chronic pain and stiffness
Spinal stenosis
Narrowing of the spinal canal compresses the spinal cord or nerve roots, causing pain, cramping, or weakness that is often worse with walking and relieved by sitting.
Facet joint syndrome
The small joints between your vertebrae become inflamed or arthritic, causing localized back pain that is often worse with twisting or extension.
Spondylolisthesis
One vertebra slips forward over the one below it, causing mechanical instability and often radiating leg pain.
Sacroiliac (SI) joint dysfunction
The joint connecting your spine to your pelvis becomes inflamed or destabilized, mimicking lower back pain. Estimated to cause 15–30% of chronic low back pain.
Muscle spasm and myofascial pain
Persistent muscle tension and trigger points that cause localized or referred back pain, often following injury or overuse.
Post-surgical back pain
Pain that persists or recurs after spinal surgery — sometimes called failed back surgery syndrome — requires a different treatment approach than the original condition.
How Back Pain Is Treated at Brock Pain Medicine
Treatment begins with understanding. Before any recommendation is made, we evaluate the full clinical picture — your history, your imaging, your prior treatments, and how your pain is affecting your daily life. The goal is to identify the specific source of your pain, not to apply a generic protocol.
Treatment options for back pain at Brock Pain Medicine include:
Medication Management
Targeted medications — anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxants, neuropathic agents — are used strategically as part of a broader plan, not as a standalone solution.
Epidural Steroid Injections
Injections placed in the epidural space around the spinal cord can reduce inflammation and provide significant relief for disc-related pain and nerve root compression. Relief may last weeks to months and can be repeated as part of an ongoing management strategy.
SI Joint Treatment
If the SI joint is involved, targeted SI joint injections can confirm the diagnosis and provide relief for patients with confirmed SI joint dysfunction who have failed conservative care. Minimally invasive SI joint fusion is available.
Advanced Interventional Options
For back pain that has not responded to the options above, Spinal Cord Stimulation is a well-established advanced option. SCS interrupts pain signals before they reach the brain and has a strong evidence base for intractable back and leg pain, including failed back surgery syndrome.
When to See a Pain Specialist for Back Pain
Not every back pain episode requires specialist care. But the following circumstances suggest that a specialist evaluation is appropriate:
Back pain lasting more than 6 to 8 weeks that has not improved with conservative care
Pain that radiates into the buttocks, hips, legs, or feet
Numbness, tingling, or weakness in the legs
Pain that significantly limits daily activities, work, or sleep
Pain that has recurred after a period of improvement
Pain following spine surgery that has not resolved as expected
You have already seen multiple providers and are still looking for answers
You’ve Been Living With This Long Enough
Chronic back pain is not something you simply manage indefinitely. There is usually a reason it has persisted, and finding that reason is what makes effective treatment possible. Brock Pain Medicine has helped thousands of patients in McKinney and across Collin County get to the source of their back pain and find meaningful, lasting relief.
If back pain has been part of your life for longer than it should be, a specialist evaluation is the right next step. We will tell you clearly what we find and what your options are.
Talk to a SpecialistOr Call Brock Pain Medicine: (469) 742-9950