Pediatric Back Pain

Back pain is common among adults, bringing thousands of Americans to their doctors every year. When your child complains of back pain, you may wonder if it will just go away on its own or if it calls for immediate medical attention. Providence Children’s Hospital offers a wide range of back pain treatments from conservative methods to surgical treatments for families living in El Paso, Texas.

Comprehensive and Personalized Pediatric Care for Back Pain in El Paso

Choosing the healthcare provider and type of treatment for your child is an important decision to make. As a member of The Hospitals of Providence in El Paso, we are committed to the children in our community with a full scope of advanced pediatric services that we developed specifically for children with compassion and expertise.

We believe that each child experiences back pain differently. That's why we offer individualized orthopedic treatments that address your child's unique needs. Our services include pain management and physical therapy, such as over-the-counter or prescription medications, injectable medications and exercises that strengthen the back muscles.

Our team of experienced back pain doctors and staff will work with you and your child to provide the best course of treatment and recovery, focusing on exploring all nonsurgical options first. Treatments, such as anti-inflammatory medicine, ice, heat and massage, are often successful in healing back pain and helping patients return to their daily activities.

If you're looking for comprehensive and compassionate treatment for your child's back pain in El Paso, please call 833-225-8751 or click here to find a doctor today.

Orthopedic Services Available at Providence Children’s Hospital:

• Noninvasive and surgical treatment options for back and neck pain
• Treatments for patients with scoliosis, kyphosis, spondylolisthesis, spinal stenosis, radiculopathy, disc disease and more
• Orthopedic navigator assistance from testing to post-treatment, rehabilitation and insurance assistance

Is It Normal for a Kid to Have Back Pain?

From wearing a heavy backpack to engaging in physical activities, such as gymnastics—there are several causes of back pain in children. However, back pain in children is not like back pain in adults.

Backaches in children may more likely have a serious underlying condition, especially if your child is four years old or younger.

Certain medical conditions can cause back pain, including:

• Muscle strain and imbalances
• Rounded back
• Stress fracture of the spine
• Slipped vertebra
• Infection
• Tumor

What Is a Back Pain Specialist Called?

Choosing a healthcare professional for back pain treatment depends on your child's symptoms and the cause of pain. Health providers who treat back pain include the following:

• Primary care physicians
• Physical or occupational therapists
• Spine specialists
• Clinical psychologists
• Chiropractors
• Physiotherapists
• Osteopaths

When to Seek Medical Help

If your child experiences back pain accompanied by any of the following symptoms, consult with a pediatric back pain doctor immediately:

• Fever or weight loss
• Weakness or numbness
• Trouble walking
• Pain that radiates down one or both legs
• Bowel or bladder problems
• Pain that keeps your child from sleeping

Time is of the essence if your child has severe causes of back pain. Early diagnosis and treatment can help alleviate the symptoms and stop the condition from worsening. See a doctor right away if your child's back pain lasts for more than several days or keeps on coming back.

What to Expect During Your Child's Physical Examination?

Your child's doctor will conduct a physical examination to find the cause of your child's back pain and how the condition developed. The test may include the following:

Medical History

The doctor will ask a series of general questions about your child's pain and overall health to help map out a treatment plan correctly. These may include:

• When did the pain begin?
• Did it start after an injury or demanding activity?
• Has it improved or worsened?
• What activities or positions make the pain worse?
• What does your child do to make it less painful?

Make sure to help your child precisely locate the pain, how severe it is and how much it affects your child's daily activities. 

Physical Examination

The doctor will conduct a physical examination of your child and will carefully check the following:

• Spine - This includes feeling each vertebra and looking for deformities in the alignment and mobility of the spine. The doctor will check your child's posture and walking patterns, ability to bend over to touch the toes and leaning to the right and left to check if there are joint problems
  
• Nerves in the back - Involves testing reflexes and feeling in the legs to check for problems with intervertebral disks
  
• Muscles - Includes testing the muscles in the back and legs for tightness or tenderness that may signal a muscle injury, such as a strain
  
• Balance, flexibility, coordination and muscle strength

Imaging Tests

Imaging tests can help your doctor make the diagnosis. Your doctor may order one or a combination of any of these tests:

• X-rays - Shows if there are fractures, displacements or other problems within the bones
• Bone scans - Pinpoint inflammation, infections, tumors and fractures
• Computerized tomography (CT) scans - Provides three-dimensional images that allow your doctor to see things that are not visible on two-dimensional X-rays
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans – This shows the body's soft tissue and the spinal cord, nerve roots, discs and other structures
• Positron emission tomography (PET) – This shows how the body's tissue and organs are functioning

Laboratory Tests

Blood tests can help look for signs of inflammation or infection that can affect the following:

• Complete blood cell count (CBC)
• Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
• C-reactive protein (CRP)

Pre-register Your Visit with Us

We know that you want to be as prepared as possible for your child's hospital visit. Get compassionate care and advanced treatment for your little one without having to fill out your medical and insurance forms on the day of your visit. Please see this page to pre-register.

Insurance Accepted

Providence Children's Hospital accepts various insurance plans so your child can get started with quality care right away. See our payment plan flexibility for convenient bill payment options. Our dedicated staff is available to answer your questions about your insurance coverage and financial arrangements. Call us at 888-252-8189 or see this patient financial resources page for your billing and insurance questions. If you have specific questions about your coverage, please contact your insurance provider directly.

Find a Pediatric Back Pain Doctor in El Paso

We commit to helping you make it possible to get the care you need for your child. Please speak with one of our experienced pediatric back pain doctors to know more about our back and spine care at Providence Children's Hospital. If it's an emergency, please call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.