The first thing that your doctor will do when you consult them about the pain in your back will be a thorough examination. The examination will include tests to show your ability to do tasks such as sitting, walking, lifting the legs or standing. During the examination the doctor will ask you to rate your pain based on a scale of zero to ten. You will also need to give a description of how you are adapting in order to conduct some of the activities or function when the pain is unbearable. The examination is aimed at assessing the pain intensity and the root cause. The examination also attempts to determine the distance that can be covered before the pain becomes unbearable or a muscle spasm occurs. The examination will eliminate other causes of back pain and indicate the most accurate cause. If the doctor suspects you may be suffering from a certain medical condition they might be inclined to order more test to make certain.
Tests during the examination process
The examination might involve the use of x-rays, CT scans, MRI scanners and blood tests. The x-ray images are used to indicate your bone alignment to show whether an individual has arthritis or bones that are broken. The MRI and CT scanners have the capacity to produce images that will show if the patient has abnormalities on the tendons, nerves, bones, muscles, ligaments, tissues and blood vessels. The blood test will determine if there is an infection or other health conditions in the blood that might be the cause of the pain. The bone scans are meant to show if there are any fractures that have been compressed as a result of osteoporosis or tumors. The nerves can also be tested to illustrate how they are responding to muscles movements. In case the nerves have been compressed as a result of disks that are herniated disks it can be shown by this test. The test can also show if the patient is suffering from spinal stenosis which is commonly referred to as the narrowing of the spinal cord
Treatment
After a few weeks of trying out the homemade treatments the acute back pain should cease to exist. Such remedies include the use of cold or hot packs and pain relievers which can be purchased over the counter. Being inactive or taking a bed rest is not among the recommended treatments. If it is bearable continue with your daily routines or indulge in some easy tasks such as walking or household chores. In case the treatments are not effectively reducing or eliminating the pain after a few weeks your doctor might recommend the use of stronger pain relievers or other types of back pain treatments. Stronger medication might include NSAIDs (Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) like ibuprofen or naproxen sodium. When these drugs are misused they can cause extreme side effects which is why they should be taken according to the doctor’s orders. Other medications include narcotics, muscle relaxers, antidepressants and injections. For extreme cases of back pain exercise and physical therapy can be used as treatment for the back pain. Surgery is also used in back pain treatment but only as a last result.
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