Back Pain Management - Diagnosis & Treatment

The diagnosis process begins with a detailed conversation about your medical and family history. Your doctor will investigate various aspects, asking questions like:

• Can you describe your pain?

• Where exactly do you feel the pain?

• When did the pain start, and how long has it persisted?

• How intense is the pain, and what activities worsen or alleviate it?

• Is there a history of arthritis or back pain in your family?

To get a clearer picture of the impact on your life, your doctor might also ask you to rate your pain on a scale of 1 to 10 and discuss your ability to perform daily activities.

While only sometimes necessary, additional tests can be helpful in some cases.

• X-rays:

These are used to detect bone fractures, ageing changes, or spinal alignment issues.

• MRI Scans:

Employing a powerful magnet, MRI scans provide detailed images of soft tissues, including discs, ligaments, and nerve roots.

• CAT Scans:

These scans offer three-dimensional views of your back, which can help diagnose spinal canal and surrounding tissue problems.

• Electrophysiological Tests:

Tests like electromyography (EMG) measure muscle electrical activity, helping to identify muscle and nerve issues.

• Bone Scans:

Using radioactive materials, bone scans reveal details in the spine, such as fractures and infections.

• Blood Tests:

These can uncover causes of back pain like inflammatory or medical disorders.

Medications can offer relief and reduce inflammation. Examples include:

• Over-the-Counter Pain Relievers: 

These are available in oral or topical forms.

• Anti-Inflammatory Drugs:

These oral medications target inflammation and pain.

• Muscle Relaxants: 

These are useful for chronic back pain due to muscle tension.

• Injections:

Anti-inflammatory or numbing injections are effective for pain caused by nerve compression, often evident in leg pain.

• Prescription Pain Relievers: 

These are for cases of severe acute back pain.

Surgery is considered when other treatments don't provide relief. Options might include:

• Laminectomy:

This addresses spinal stenosis by removing bony spurs and parts of vertebrae.

• Discectomy and Microdiscectomy:

This procedure involves removing part of a herniated disc. Microdiscectomy uses a smaller incision.

• Spinal Fusion:

This fuses vertebrae to treat degenerative disc disease and spondylolisthesis.

• Disc Replacement Surgery:

This involves replacing a damaged disc with a synthetic one.

• Laser Surgery:

This works to reduce disc size to relieve nerve pressure.