What are the treatment options for lumbar spondylosis?

Lumbar spondylosis describes age-related wear in the lower-back discs, facet joints, and nearby bone. It can cause aching, stiffness, or pain that travels into the buttock or leg when a nerve is irritated. Scan findings do not always match pain levels, so examination and the pattern of symptoms help guide care.

Physiotherapy can improve trunk strength, hip movement, posture, and confidence with daily activity. A clinician may recommend pacing, regular walking, heat, and adjustments to lifting or sitting. Anti-inflammatory medication may help some people, but your medical history and other medicines need review first.

If pain remains focused around the small joints of the spine, a facet joint injection may be considered for assessment and relief. Radiofrequency ablation can be discussed when facet-joint pain continues after conservative care. These procedures are selected after a clinical review rather than from an imaging report alone.

Arrange medical assessment for new or worsening back pain, leg weakness, numbness that spreads, or walking difficulty. Seek urgent care for loss of bladder or bowel control, numbness around the inner thighs, or rapidly progressing weakness. A clinician can also check fever, unexplained weight change, or a significant injury alongside back pain.

Which findings suggest that my pain comes from a facet joint, a disc, or nerve irritation? What movement plan is suitable for my current symptoms? Could my medicines make an anti-inflammatory option unsafe? When would an injection or radiofrequency ablation be reasonable?