Back Pain

At UT Southwestern Medical Center, our expert team of doctors at the Spine Center specialize in both surgical and nonsurgical treatments for back pain.

Our multidisciplinary team approach gives patients access to neurosurgeons, orthopaedic surgeons, pain management specialists, and physiatrists with one call. Our goal is to partner with our patients in their care, get them back to health as soon as possible, and help them achieve the best outcomes.

A Variety of Causes, Treated with a Multidisciplinary Approach

Back pain has a wide range of causes – from injuries, pinched nerves, and herniated discs to spinal fractures and conditions such as arthritis and spondylolisthesis. Regardless of the cause, back pain can greatly diminish patients' quality of life.

Our multidisciplinary approach helps us coordinate, facilitate, and expedite patient care, while saving our patients time.

Diagnosis of Back Pain

When patients come to us with back pain, we’ll conduct a physical examination and order spine imaging and other studies to determine its cause. Tests, procedures, and studies used to evaluate and diagnose back pain might include:

• Bone scan
  
• Computed tomography (CT) scan
  
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
  
• Myelography
  
• Nerve conduction studies to measure electrical activity generated by muscles and nerves
• X-rays

Treatment for Back Pain

After diagnosis, we make sure the patient sees the right experts to treat his or her specific symptoms. We also create a care plan that minimizes the number of visits a patient needs to make, while also providing all the support needed.

Our doctors treat back pain with a complete spectrum of multidisciplinary therapies, including:

• Anti-inflammation drugs
  
• Biofeedback
  
• Cortisone injections
  
• Physical therapy
• Surgery

Clinical Trials

UT Southwestern conducts clinical trials aimed at improving the diagnosis and treatment of back pain. Talk with our doctors to see if a clinical trial is available.