Back
Low back pain is one of the most common reasons people seek orthopedic care. We treat disc herniation, degenerative conditions, sciatica, and back injuries with therapy, injections, and surgery when needed.
Our specialty-trained doctors evaluate, diagnose, and treat the full range of back conditions and injuries — always starting with the most conservative effective option, and offering advanced surgical care when it's needed.
Care is available at both our Torrington and Bristol offices, with on-site X-ray, physical and occupational therapy, and many procedures performed at the Litchfield Hills Surgery Center.
Common conditions we treat
- Low back strain — the most common cause of back pain — overworked muscles and ligaments from lifting, twisting, or overuse
- Lumbar disc herniation — a slipped or ruptured disc pressing on a nerve, often causing sciatica
- Sciatica — pain that travels from the lower back down the leg along the sciatic nerve
- Degenerative disc disease — age-related changes in the discs causing chronic, activity-related back pain
- Spinal stenosis — narrowing of the spinal canal, typically causing leg pain or heaviness when walking
- Compression fractures — small breaks in the vertebrae, often related to osteoporosis
How we treat them
Treatment always starts with the most conservative effective option. Depending on your condition, your plan may include:
- Physical therapy focused on core strength and flexibility
- Anti-inflammatory medication and short-term activity changes
- Spinal injections for pain that hasn't responded to therapy
- Surgery — from minimally invasive procedures to disc replacement — reserved for cases where conservative care fails or nerves are at risk
When to see a doctor
Most back pain improves within a few weeks. Come in sooner if pain shoots down your leg, you notice numbness or weakness, pain follows an injury or fall, or you're over 65 with sudden new back pain. Loss of bladder or bowel control with back pain is an emergency — call 911.