Spine Pain That Gets Worse Only in Certain Positions

When your back hurts while bending over but disappears when standing straight, or intensifies when sitting but eases while lying down, your body is sharing hidden clues about your spine condition. This type of positional pain often reveals specific structural problems that standard treatments might miss.

At Advanced Pain Management Center in Portland, Oregon, leading interventional pain management specialist Vladimir Fiks, MD, specializes in identifying and treating positional spine pain through precise diagnostic techniques that find specific structural problems other tests miss.

Your position changes pressure distribution in your spine

The spine handles pressure differently depending on your body position. Bending forward significantly increases pressure on the front of your discs. Extending backward puts more stress on the facet joints and posterior disc areas. Sitting sustains pressure on your lower spine that standing relieves.

Dr. Fiks uses movement assessments and specialized imaging to identify which specific structures hurt in different positions. This approach reveals problems that static MRIs often miss, including:

• Disc bulges that show up when you bend but disappear when standing straight
• Compressed facet joints during backward arching
• Nerve pinching that happens only when you turn your head or torso
• Unstable vertebrae that slip out of alignment in certain positions

This detailed diagnosis helps Dr. Fiks pinpoint exactly what’s hurting and when, so your treatment fixes the actual problem instead of just covering up the pain.

Your painful positions reveal which structures are damaged

Different positions trigger pain from different spine problems. Your position-specific symptoms offer valuable diagnostic clues:

• Sitting discomfort that eases when standing typically signals disc issues
• Backward arching that triggers pain often relates to facet joint problems
• Side-bending discomfort frequently stems from sacroiliac joint dysfunction
• Lying flat becoming uncomfortable while bent knees bring relief suggests spinal stenosis

Dr. Fiks examines these patterns to identify structural issues missed by general examinations, allowing for more targeted treatment approaches.

Treatment targets the specific mechanics of your pain

Once we understand which positions trigger your pain and why, we develop targeted interventions:

• Position-specific physical therapy that strengthens supporting muscles
• Regenexx® cellular treatments for damaged structures identified during positional testing
• Specialized injection therapies for facet joints or foraminal spaces depending on your movement pattern
• Spinal cord stimulation programmed specifically for your worst pain positions
• MLS laser therapy focused on tissues most stressed during painful positions

Most patients experience relief after treatment plans designed around their specific positional pain patterns, often avoiding more invasive procedures.

Find out what your positional pain reveals about your spine

If your back or neck pain changes with different positions, Dr. Fiks can evaluate these patterns to develop more effective treatment strategies.

Call Advanced Pain Management Center in Portland today or schedule a consultation online. Dr. Fiks will assess your positional pain patterns and create a targeted plan to address the specific causes of your discomfort.