Services
Back Pain
Targeted diagnosis and treatment for acute and chronic low back pain — from injections to advanced neuromodulation.
In short — Low back pain has many possible sources — discs, facet joints, sacroiliac joints, muscles, or compressed nerves — so an accurate diagnosis matters most. Dr. Eaddy combines exam and imaging with diagnostic injections when needed, then treats with the least invasive effective option: epidural injections, radiofrequency ablation, or, for persistent pain, spinal cord stimulation.
Why does my back hurt?
Low back pain is one of the most common reasons adults seek medical care, and it rarely has a single cause. Pain can come from the discs between the vertebrae, the facet joints that link them, the sacroiliac joints at the base of the spine, the surrounding muscles and ligaments, or compressed nerves. Age-related degeneration, injury, arthritis, and prior spine surgery can all play a role.
Because so many structures can generate similar pain, an accurate diagnosis matters more than anything else. Treating the wrong pain generator wastes time and prolongs suffering.
When should I see a pain specialist?
Most episodes of back pain improve within a few weeks. It's time for a specialist evaluation when pain persists beyond six weeks, keeps returning, radiates into a leg, disturbs sleep, or limits work and daily activity despite rest, physical therapy, or medication. Seek care promptly for back pain with numbness in the groin, loss of bladder or bowel control, fever, or unexplained weight loss.
How is back pain diagnosed?
Dr. Eaddy combines a detailed history and physical examination with a careful review of your imaging — X-ray, CT, or MRI. When the source remains unclear, diagnostic injections can confirm or exclude a suspected pain generator before committing to a treatment plan.
How is back pain treated?
Treatment is matched to the diagnosis and starts with the least invasive effective option. Depending on the source of your pain, the plan may include epidural steroid injections, facet joint or medial branch blocks, radiofrequency ablation to provide longer-lasting relief from facet-related pain, sacroiliac joint injections, and medication management. For chronic pain that hasn't responded to these measures — including pain that persists after spine surgery — spinal cord stimulation offers a proven, reversible next step.
Can back pain come from the sacroiliac joint?
Yes. The sacroiliac (SI) joints, where the base of the spine meets the pelvis, are an often-overlooked source of low back and buttock pain that can mimic disc or facet pain. When the exam points to the SI joint, a diagnostic image-guided injection can confirm it, and treatment options — therapeutic SI joint injections or radiofrequency ablation — depend on the diagnosis and your response.
What symptoms may lead to a back pain evaluation?
Persistent aching, sharp pain with movement, pain into the buttock or leg, numbness, tingling, weakness, or pain that interrupts sleep or daily activity may justify an evaluation. The pattern helps distinguish a joint, disc, muscle, or nerve source. New bowel or bladder problems, groin numbness, fever, or rapidly worsening weakness require urgent medical care.
Who is a candidate for interventional back pain care?
Candidates usually have pain that persists or returns despite appropriate activity changes, medication, or physical therapy, and a history and examination that point to a treatable pain generator. A procedure is considered only after the diagnosis is reasonably clear; some patients need continued conservative care or a surgical opinion instead.
What are the risks and side effects of treatment?
Risks depend on the treatment selected. Image-guided injections can cause temporary soreness, bleeding, infection, medication reactions, or a brief rise in blood sugar; nerve injury is rare. Radiofrequency ablation can cause temporary numbness or neuritis. Dr. Eaddy reviews procedure-specific risks, medications, and alternatives before treatment.
Does insurance or Medicare cover back pain evaluation and treatment?
Most insurers and Medicare cover medically necessary evaluation and many image-guided treatments when documentation and prior conservative care meet plan requirements. Coverage, prior authorization, and out-of-pocket costs vary by plan and procedure. The office verifies benefits and explains known authorization requirements before scheduling.
Before your visit
The questions above cover common concerns about diagnosis, candidacy, treatment options, risks, insurance, and when back pain needs urgent attention. Your recommendations may differ after examination and review of prior treatment and imaging.
Trusted resources
Learn more about back pain from these independent medical sources:
- MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine) — Back Pain
- OrthoInfo (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) — Low Back Pain
- American Association of Neurological Surgeons — Low Back Pain
- American College of Physicians — Noninvasive Treatments for Low Back Pain (clinical practice guideline)
Related care
Conditions and treatments connected to this page, all provided by Dr. Eaddy:
- Epidural Steroid Injection — image-guided anti-inflammatory relief for irritated spinal nerves
- Radiofrequency Ablation — longer-lasting relief for facet, sacroiliac, and knee arthritis pain
- Sciatica — radiating leg pain from a compressed nerve root
- Spinal Cord Stimulation — reversible neuromodulation with a try-first trial
- Endoscopic Spine Surgery — minimally invasive endoscopic procedures for selected disc, facet, and spine-related pain
Ready to talk about your pain?
Call the office for an appointment, or send a question online — office staff will respond by phone during business hours.
Call (904) 453-7976 Send a questionMessages only / callback line: (813) 397-3047
Medically reviewed by Kenneth J. Eaddy, MD · Last reviewed: July 29, 2026