Finding relief from back pain involves more than just alleviating the symptoms. Determining the main cause of your pain is crucial in reducing the risks of debilitating effects in the near future.
When finding out the underlying cause of low back pain, a physio professional has to determine the type of ache and the area of its distribution. A physical examination and the patient’s medical history can determine if the patient's low back pain is as a result of soft tissue (ligament, muscle or tendon) problem that often heals itself or a complicated medical condition such as an infection or fracture.
X-rays and MRI only confirm suspicions as to the probable cause of the lower back pain. Complex conditions that are related to back pain are quite unusual. A physiotherapist highlights that a thorough examination results in the determination of back pain, one of the three types of back pain often experienced by patients.
Low Back Pain
Also known as axial spinal stenosis in medical terms, this condition leads to the narrowing of tubular vessels, which reduces the space within the spinal canal. The narrowing may be as a result of overgrown facet joints, bulging of the disc, or the degeneration of the disc along with the loss of its height. This loss of space causes squeezing of the nerve roots, which then creates the pain.
Back pain varies from mild to severe, sharp to dull, and constant to intermittent aches that occur when you conduct physical activities (e.g. sports) or prolonged sitting episodes. The pain is relieved by rest or stretching. While it is the most common kind of low back pain, it is non-specific – the structures responsible for the ache may not be identified because the symptoms are limited and would often resolve within time.
Diagnosing Back Pain
Physio specialists explain that, though MRIs and CT scans may detect an anatomical lesion like a herniated disc, such results may have nothing to do with low back pain. As such, diagnosing back pain becomes difficult. However, patients who have severe back pain should consult a physio clinic to rule out probable complications like fractures, infections or tumours.
Treating Back Pain
Once the physician rules out the possibility of serious health conditions, he uses various non-surgical treatment options that are administered exclusively or in a combination, such as medication, heat therapy, and physiotherapy.
Approximately 90% of patients suffering from lower back pain recuperate within six or eight weeks. However, if the pain persists, physiotherapists may conduct additional tests to identify other underlying sources of the lower back pain.
Sources:
How to diagnose axial spondyloarthritis early, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Axial Stenosis, spinal-foundation.org
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