Back surgery might be an option if other treatments haven't worked, and your pain is disabling.
Many people with back pain also have pain that goes down a leg. These symptoms are often caused by pinched nerves in the spine. Nerves may become pinched for a variety of reasons, including:
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Disk problems. Disks are the rubbery cushions that separate the bones that make up the spine. A bulging or herniated disk sometimes can get too close to a spinal nerve. This can cause pain and affect how the nerve works.
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Overgrowth of bone. Osteoarthritis can result in bone growths, often called spurs, on the spine. This excess bone can reduce the amount of space available for nerves to pass through openings in the spine.
Back surgery relieves this leg pain better than it does back pain. Many people who have back surgery continue to have back pain.
It can be hard to pinpoint the exact cause of back pain, even if imaging tests show disk problems or bone spurs. Imaging tests taken for other reasons often reveal bulging or herniated disks that cause no symptoms and need no treatment.