Can Chronic Back Pain Improve?
Yes. Improvement may mean moving more comfortably, sleeping better, or taking part in daily life with greater confidence, even if pain continues. No treatment can guarantee that chronic back pain will disappear, and progress can look different for each person.
Chronic pain is real, and it can affect work, sleep, movement, mood, and relationships. A meaningful comeback may involve careful evaluation, support, and a plan shaped around your needs rather than one procedure or medicine.
Tom Ressler’s account, published by Cleveland Clinic, describes one person’s experience after spinal cord stimulation helped him return to running. It is not a California Pain Institute patient testimonial, and his reported outcome does not predict what another person will experience.
Dr. Rebecca Kerr, a UCLA-trained, dual board-certified physician in Pain Medicine and Anesthesiology, has practiced pain management exclusively for more than 25 years. She emphasizes patient education and individualized care, which may include medication management, image-guided injections, and coordination with other clinicians. Learn more about Dr. Kerr.
What Can Cause Chronic Back Pain?
Back pain can involve muscles and other soft tissue, spinal discs or joints, or irritated nerves. Arthritis, a past injury, or narrowing around spinal nerves may contribute, but sometimes no single cause is found. A 2022 Johns Hopkins overview of chronic back pain describes similar causes and notes that identifying the source can be difficult.
Dr. Rebecca Kerr, dual board-certified in Pain Medicine and Anesthesiology and UCLA-trained, begins the assessment with a discussion of symptoms, health history, and how pain affects daily activities, followed by a physical and nerve examination. Imaging may help when symptoms or examination findings point to a specific concern, but it is not always useful as a routine first step. Even when a scan does not show one clear source, the pain is real and deserves careful attention; imaging findings alone do not explain everyone’s symptoms.
Dr. Kerr, dual board-certified in Pain Medicine and Anesthesiology and UCLA-trained, has practiced pain management exclusively for more than 25 years. Her approach includes explaining what an evaluation can and cannot show, then considering care in the context of each person’s symptoms and goals.
When treatment is needed, she prioritizes non-opiate, non-addicting medications and image-guided injections, and coordinates care with other specialists as appropriate. Dr. Kerr sees patients at her offices in Torrance (South Bay) and Los Angeles near LAX. To schedule an evaluation, request an appointment with Dr. Kerr.
How Can Progress Look Different?
Progress with chronic back pain may mean being able to sit, sleep, work, or return to a valued activity more comfortably. It does not always mean pain has ended.
For some people, progress may involve a treatment like spinal cord stimulation. Spinal cord stimulation uses electrical impulses to manage pain.
This is not a treatment California Pain Institute performs. A physician may refer a patient to a specialist for evaluation.
Dr. Rebecca Kerr, dual board-certified in Pain Medicine and Anesthesiology, has practiced pain management exclusively for more than 25 years. She is UCLA-trained and emphasizes non-opiate medications, image-guided injections, coordinated care, and patient education.
Dr. Kerr, a board-certified pain medicine specialist, has offices in Torrance (South Bay) and Los Angeles near LAX. Learn more about Dr. Kerr or request an appointment.
For another person, progress might instead involve fewer limits on daily activities, improved movement, or a plan for managing flare-ups. A review of chronic low-back-pain treatments notes that responses vary, so care is best matched to the person’s needs and goals (evidence review).
What Treatment Options May Be Considered?
There is no single plan for chronic lower back pain. Depending on the likely cause, your health history, and how pain affects daily life, care may involve physical therapy, medication management, behavioral support, education, or a targeted procedure.
The CDC guidance on nonopioid pain therapies describes exercise, physical therapy, and behavioral approaches among options for chronic pain. A 2022 review of chronic low back pain interventions also notes that treatment responses differ, so clinicians and patients may adjust a plan as they assess progress and goals. Neither source evaluates Dr. Kerr or California Pain Institute.
Dr. Rebecca Kerr is dual board-certified in Pain Medicine and Anesthesiology, UCLA-trained, and has practiced pain management exclusively for more than 25 years. At California Pain Institute, her approach includes explaining the diagnosis and options, coordinating with other clinicians and physical therapy, and considering non-opiate, non-addicting medicines when appropriate.
When a procedure may fit a patient's needs, the practice performs ultrasound- or X-ray-guided injections, including epidural steroid injections. Medication or an injection is not needed by everyone, and no option can promise lasting relief; the plan should reflect the patient's response and priorities.
California Pain Institute sees patients in Torrance in the South Bay and in Los Angeles near LAX. Dr. Kerr, who has dedicated her career to pain management, sees patients at both locations.
Care is individualized, and treatment choices should be discussed with a clinician who understands the full medical picture. You can request an appointment with Dr. Kerr to discuss your specific situation.
Which Medicines and Injections Might Be Discussed?
A clinician may discuss non-opioid medicines or an image-guided injection as part of a plan for chronic back pain. The choice depends on the likely pain source, your health history, other medicines, and your goals, and no option is right for everyone.
What non-opioid medicines may be considered for chronic back pain?
Depending on the evaluation, options may include anti-inflammatory medicines, acetaminophen, or certain prescription medicines. The CDC guidance on nonopioid pain therapies notes that treatment should be matched to each person. Non-opioid medicines can still cause side effects or interact with other medicines, so discuss choices with your physician and do not start, stop, or change a medicine without medical guidance.
Dr. Rebecca Kerr, dual board-certified in Pain Medicine and Anesthesiology and UCLA-trained, has practiced pain management exclusively for more than 25 years. Her approach emphasizes non-opiate, non-addicting medicines when appropriate, with patient education about benefits and risks. Learn more about Dr. Kerr.
What types of injections may be used for back pain, and how is an option selected?
California Pain Institute offers ultrasound- and X-ray-guided injections for spinal joints, nerves, soft tissue, and trigger points, including X-ray-guided epidural steroid injections. An epidural injection may be considered when evaluation suggests irritation near spinal nerves; it is not suitable for everyone, and results vary. Evidence reviews of chronic low back pain treatments describe injections as one possible part of individualized care, not a stand-alone answer.
Dr. Rebecca Kerr, dual board-certified in Pain Medicine and Anesthesiology and UCLA-trained with more than 25 years of experience, considers symptoms, examination findings, relevant imaging, health history, and patient goals, then discusses possible benefits, risks, and alternatives. The practice coordinates care with other clinicians when needed. Other procedures or approaches, such as radiofrequency ablation, spinal cord stimulation, acupuncture, or surgery, are options to discuss with a clinician or explore through referral, not services described here.
What are the possible side effects of a spinal injection?
Effects depend on the procedure and location. Temporary soreness or a brief increase in pain can occur; other possible complications include bleeding, infection, allergic reaction, or nerve injury. Ask the physician which risks apply to the proposed injection.
Seek emergency care for new severe weakness, loss of bladder or bowel control, or fever with worsening back pain after an injection.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if a non-opioid medicine is right for me?
Your physician will evaluate your pain source, health history, and other medicines you take. Non-opioid options are not suitable for everyone, and the choice should be made together with your clinician.
What should I discuss with my physician before trying an injection?
Ask about the specific procedure, its benefits and risks, and what to expect during recovery. Also discuss any allergies, medicines you take, and your pain goals.
Are image-guided injections painful?
Some people feel temporary discomfort during or after the injection. Your physician can discuss ways to manage that, such as numbing or relaxation techniques.
How long does it take to see results from an injection?
Results vary by person and procedure. Your physician can give you a realistic timeline based on your specific situation.
For an evaluation at the Torrance office in the South Bay or the Los Angeles office near LAX, request an appointment with Dr. Kerr, or call Torrance at (310) 504-0632 or Los Angeles at (310) 642-7900.
How Can You Keep Moving Toward Your Goals?
Ongoing back pain can be exhausting, and it is real even when its cause or the best treatment is not yet clear. Rather than pushing through worsening symptoms or stopping all movement without guidance, ask your clinician about a plan that supports daily function and fits your health and goals.
Activity and physical therapy plans should be matched to a person's symptoms and comfort level, with guidance from a clinician. Johns Hopkins Medicine's guidance on chronic back pain discusses individualized activity and physical therapy; it does not mean everyone should follow the same routine.
Keep notes about symptoms, changes, activities that affect pain, and treatments you have tried. Dr. Rebecca Kerr, dual board-certified in Pain Medicine and Anesthesiology and UCLA-trained, has practiced pain management exclusively for more than 25 years. At California Pain Institute, she provides patient education and coordinates with other clinicians and rehabilitation services when appropriate.
At an appointment, ask what may be contributing to your pain, which options fit your health and goals, what risks to consider, and when to follow up if symptoms change. Dr. Kerr sees adults at the Torrance office serving the South Bay and the Los Angeles office near LAX.
For care focused on back pain, learn more about Dr. Kerr or request an appointment with Dr. Kerr. Call Torrance at (310) 504-0632 or Los Angeles at (310) 642-7900.
When Does Back Pain Need Emergency Care?
Most chronic back pain can be discussed in a planned medical visit, but certain new symptoms need urgent attention. Seek emergency care for back pain with new loss of bladder or bowel control, sudden weakness, numbness in the groin, trouble walking, or fever. Do not wait for a routine appointment or delay emergency care to contact a clinic.
These warning signs can point to a serious problem that needs timely assessment, but they do not identify its cause on their own. Johns Hopkins Medicine advises prompt in-person evaluation for new or worsening bowel or bladder problems, groin numbness, limb weakness, or trouble with walking or balance.
Routine pain that is not accompanied by these warning signs can still deserve medical care, especially if it is affecting daily activities. California Pain Institute’s back pain care includes evaluation and patient education; urgent symptoms, however, require emergency assessment rather than a scheduled visit.
When symptoms are urgent, go to an emergency department or call emergency services. Once immediate concerns have been assessed, Dr. Rebecca Kerr, a dual board-certified physician in Pain Medicine and Anesthesiology, can help with ongoing pain management; she is UCLA-trained and has practiced pain management exclusively for more than 25 years.
What Can You Take Away?
A comeback from chronic back pain does not have to mean the pain is gone. Progress may include understanding what affects your symptoms, getting support, moving with greater confidence, or returning to activities that matter to you. Each person’s experience is different.
Pain is real even when tests do not show a clear cause. A careful evaluation can still guide a plan focused on symptoms and daily function.
Dr. Rebecca Kerr is dual board-certified in Pain Medicine and Anesthesiology, UCLA-trained, and has practiced pain management exclusively for more than 25 years. Learn about Dr. Kerr.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is pain real if tests show no clear cause? Yes. A scan may not explain every source of pain, but that does not make the pain imaginary. A clinician can consider your symptoms and function alongside test results.
Should I stop moving until the pain improves? Not necessarily. Ask your clinician about safe activity and a pace that fits your symptoms. Movement plans can be adjusted if an activity worsens your pain.
Should I change my pain medicine? Do not stop or change medicine on your own. Discuss benefits, risks, and any concerns with the prescribing clinician.
What symptoms need emergency care? Seek urgent care for new loss of bladder or bowel control or sudden weakness. Fever with back pain also needs prompt medical attention.
To discuss your situation, Request an appointment with Dr. Kerr. The Torrance office serves the South Bay at (310) 504-0632; the Los Angeles office is near LAX at (310) 642-7900.
