What Can Doctors Do For Back Pain

A Recent Study On Chiropractic Care For Low Back Pain

A 2018 study published in JAMA Network Open is among the latest to weigh in on the pros and cons of chiropractic care for treating low back pain. Researchers enrolled 750 active-duty military personnel who complained of back pain. Half were randomly assigned to receive usual care while the other half received usual care plus up to 12 chiropractic treatments.

After six weeks of treatment, those assigned to receive chiropractic care:

• reported less pain intensity
• experienced less disability and more improvement in function
• reported higher satisfaction with their treatment
• needed less pain medicine.

While no serious side effects were reported, about 10% of those receiving chiropractic care described adverse effects . Five percent of those receiving usual care had similar complaints.

Where To Start With Back Pain

Low back pain is one of the most common complaints on the planet.

And when someone starts experiencing back pain it can be so frightening that we immediately want an expert that will somehow magically get rid of it.

Unfortunately, there’s just no unicorns and rainbows when it comes to solving back pain.

Realize that most back pain will resolve on its own. What I’m saying here is that your major ache or tweaked out back doesn’t require a specialist in most cases.

Some of the most common causes of acute or sudden back pain include an injury:

• to a muscle or tendon
• to a back ligament
• to a bulging disc .

And the reality is, many of these issues will eventually resolve on their own.

In my personal opinion, the first time someone starts to experience back pain, they should immediately start doing back extension exercises.

I would continue to do back extensions every 3-4 hours throughout the day for at least 3 days.

And if you notice that you’re feeling better, continue for another 1-2 weeks.

But if your low back pain doesn’t improve, then maybe there is something more serious happening.

More serious causes of back pain include:

• a narrowing of the spinal canal
• disc tears or herniations
• severe degenerative disc disease
• spinal infections

So if your back pain doesn’t improve with back extensions and modified activities, then you’d want to consider someone who is qualified to properly assess the situation.

Physical Therapists & Chiropractors

Physical therapists and chiropractic specialists use a variety of non-surgical, and non-medication based methods to relieve pain. These methods range from spinal manipulation, to rehabilitation exercises, and are among the most conservative ways to treat back pain. Oftentimes, this is where patients with back pain begin their treatment course.

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Be Proactive About Your Back Pain Treatment Plan

If the current treatment plan for your back pain isnt working, consider researching various spine specialists on your own. There may be a different type of health professional who is better suited to treat your condition.

Before you see a specialist, write down a clear description of your symptoms and the treatments youve tried. This written record can help you to better communicate with your new doctor. Also, dont be shy about seeking a second opinion if you think it will help alleviate your back pain.

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When Might I Need Surgery

I tell my patients that you should usually try conservative treatments for at least six months before we talk about surgery. If you have chronic back pain and nonsurgical treatments dont help enough, you may need spine surgery. To treat all disorders of the spine, Temple spine surgeons use innovative and minimally invasive techniques that are available today.

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Get Back Pain Treatment Online

Speak to a board certified doctor, securely from your phone or computer and get back pain treatment online in 15 minutes. There are many home remedies and prescription medications a doctor can recommend to help you recover faster.

We accept these insurance plans and many more. Without insurance, appointments are $119.

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You’ve Been In Pain For Over A Week

Most back pain will subside after a few days, but if you’ve been experiencing pain for over a week, then it’s time to call a doctor. Your doctor will perform any examinations or tests required to help get to the bottom of your pain before it could become a bigger problem. As is the case with many health conditions, prevention and addressing problems early is key.

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Preventing Back Pain Tips For A Healthy Back

What we do day to day is very important to help keep us healthy and prevent back pain.

• Keep active regular exercise improves health and reduces recurrent back pain. Try to get at least 150 minutes of moderate or intense physical activity a week.
• Manage your stress and anxiety levels.
• Dont smoke because nicotine decreases blood flow to your back. Back pain is more common and recovery is slower in smokers.
• If you have recurring back pain, the following may help:
• exercise regularly people who do regular exercise have less back pain than those who are inactive
• aim for a weight within your healthy range
• manage stress and mood
• ask your physiotherapist or health provider to explore with you the types of movements and activities that are best for you.

Who Can Treat Neck And Back Pain

If you hurt a joint or strain a muscle, sometimes theres comfort in knowing that at least others feel your pain. If youre dealing with back pain, many will know exactly what youre going through. The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases reports that back pain is one of the most common medical problems in the U.S.

It can range from a dull, constant ache to a sudden, sharp pain that makes it hard to move. Back pain can be sorted into two big categories: acute pain and chronic pain. Acute pain comes on suddenly after a fall or after lifting something heavy and lasts no longer than six weeks. Chronic pain often develops slowly and lasts longer than three months, the NIAMSD reports.

Both acute and chronic back pain can arise from a variety of conditions. Therefore, depending on the cause of your back pain, you might end up seeing any one of a variety of specialists. Dr. Ronald A. Lehman, Jr., chief of degenerative, minimally invasive and robotic spine surgery at New York-Presbyterian s Spine Hospital, says primary care physicians, physiatrists, pain management specialists, sports medicine doctors and spine surgeons can all treat problems of the spine and neck.

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When The Hip Is The Usual Suspect

Surprisingly, hip problemsusually produce groin pain on the affected side. Thats because the actualjoint of the hip is near the spine.

Groin pain is a hip issue until proven otherwise, says back pain specialist Russell DeMicco, DO. Pain above the belt line is not a hip issue.

The most common cause ofhip pain is osteoarthritis of the hip joint. You may have hip arthritis if:

• Pain is in your groin.
• Discomfort comes and goes, becoming more frequent over time.
• Pain worsens with standing, walking and activity, and is relieved by rest.
• You feel stiff.
• You walk with a limp.

Avascular necrosis, or AVN,is a serious condition marked by death of hip bone at the joint. The pain isusually worse and far more constant than in osteoarthritis. People come to mesaying, My hip is killing me, says Dr. Murray.

What Else Do I Need To Know

Braces are a relatively low-risk treatment method for several musculoskeletal conditions. They can provide short-term back pain relief, lumbar support, posture improvement, and muscle spasm relief, and can help alleviate lower back pain. Your doctor may offer medical advice such as pairing back brace usage with physical therapy, considering orthosis for other parts of your body, or specific exercises to strengthen your back muscles.

Summary

If you choose to use a back brace, take care to find the best fit, design, and style for your needs. Keep in mind that overuse of your brace can lead to muscle weakness, which could ultimately compound your pain, so be sure to use the brace as directed by your healthcare provider.

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Why Go To An Orthopedic Doctor

There are a variety of medical doctors who treat specific sets of conditions. Because it is impossible for one physician to treat all types of conditions and injuries that affect the human body, doctors specialize in subfields of medicine. Through this specialization, a physician becomes an expert in a distinct subfield of medicine and can diagnose, treat, and prevent issues within that subfield. One such field is orthopedics.

An orthopedic physician is an expert on the musculoskeletal system . Because back pain is most often caused by injury or damage to one of these components in the back, orthopedic physicians are often referred to for diagnosis and treatment.

Using advanced education and training, orthopedic physicians can pinpoint the exact cause of the back pain. Back pain can be caused by a variety of reasons, including a fracture, herniated disc, muscle strain, or damage to connective tissue. Orthopedic doctors can correctly diagnose the exact cause of the back pain and recommend effective treatment for it.

Orthopedic physicians have access to state-of-the-art and advanced medical technology and treatments that are proven to be effective for musculoskeletal issues. Because of this, when a patient has back pain, orthopedic physicians can offer treatments that will give fast and effective results. Using various methods for pain reduction, which include injections, medication, and physical therapy, orthopedic physicians can offer long-term relief from back pain.

Activity And Back Pain

Back pain is one of the most common reasons for time off work, but staying at work has been shown to improve recovery, although you may need to modify some tasks. When you have back pain, keep as active as you can. Avoid bed rest this does not help and can make symptoms worse. Although you may feel some pain when you are active, it is safe to exercise while you have back pain.

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Lower Back Pain Causes

Nonspecific low back pain means that the pain is not due to any specific or underlying disease that can be found. It is thought that in some cases the cause may be an over-stretch of a ligament or muscle. In other cases the cause may be a minor problem with a disc between two spinal bones , or a minor problem with a small facet joint between two vertebrae. There may be other minor problems in the structures and tissues of the lower back that result in pain. However, these causes of the pain are impossible to prove by tests. Therefore, it is usually impossible for a doctor to say exactly where the pain is coming from, or exactly what is causing the pain.

To some people, not knowing the exact cause of the pain is unsettling. However, looked at another way, many people find it reassuring to know that the diagnosis is nonspecific back pain which means there is no serious problem or disease of the back or spine.

When Opioids Are Appropriate

If you have moderate to severe back pain or neck pain, have exhausted all other viable medication options, an opioid may be an effective treatment for you. Before your doctor prescribes an opioid pain reliever, he/she will likely evaluate your current medical condition by performing a physical and neurological examination. The assessment focuses on your painincluding the location, intensity, frequency, and treatments youve tried.

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Can You Prevent Knee Pain

There can be many reasons for knee pain. Therefore, there are different strategies to prevent the pain depending on the underlying cause. Running on soft surfaces or decreasing the amount of running can help if the pain is due to overuse. Avoiding any direct injuries to the knee including wearing a seatbelt can prevent traumatic injuries. Weight loss can be helpful for many different forms of knee pain.

Uncommon Causes Of Lower Back Pain

The NINDS has identified nine uncommon causes of lower back pain.

• Infections Infections of the vertebrae can cause pain. These conditions include osteomyelitis, discitis, and sacroiliitis.
• Tumors Cancerous masses can trigger lower back pain.
• Cauda equina syndrome This rare complication results from ruptured disks. Their material pushes out into the spinal column, then compresses the lumbar and sacral nerve roots. Cauda equina syndrome causes patients to lose bladder and bowel control. It may result in permanent damage if not treated.
• Abdominal aortic aneurysms -This dangerous health disorder causes the abdominal vessel supplying blood to the lower body to swell. Severe back pain can signal that the aneurysm is large enough to rupture. This condition requires immediate medical attention.
• Kidney stones Patients with this issue suffer from sharp, lower back pains on one side.
• Arthritis These disorders include osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and other inflammatory joint diseases.
• Osteoporosis This progressive metabolic bone disorder causes vertebral fractures and decreases in bone density and strength.
• Endometriosis Tissue can leave the uterus and migrate to other areas, causing lower back pain.
• Fibromyalgia This disease causes chronic pain, soreness, and fatigue.

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When Surgery Is Necessary

When conservative treatment for low back pain does not provide relief or neurologic symptoms are worsening or severe, surgery may be needed. Candidates for surgery present any of the following:

• Reasonably good health
• Back and leg pain limits normal activity or impairs quality of life
• Progressive neurologic deficits develop, such as leg weakness, numbness or both
• Loss of normal bowel and bladder functions
• Difficulty standing or walking
• Medication and physical therapy are ineffective

If surgery is recommended, neurosurgeons have a variety of options available to help relieve pressure on the nerve roots. If several nerve roots and discs are causing the pain or if degeneration and instability exist in the spinal column, the neurosurgeon may choose: a minimally invasive approach a more open decompression or fusing the vertebrae together with bone grafts and stabilizing them with instrumentation, including metal plates, screws, rods and cages, depending on the extent of disease. After such surgery, patients may gain restored mobility in the back, including the ability to bend over. In addition, patients may require postoperative physical therapy.

The benefits of surgery should always be weighed carefully against the risks. Although a large percentage of patients with low back pain report significant pain relief after surgery, it is not guaranteed that surgery will help.

What Is The Sciatic Nerve

The sciatic nerve is part of the nervous system and categorized as a major nerve that starts in the lower back, runs down the back of the thigh and branches off just above the knee into smaller nerves that run the length of the legs to the feet. What most people do not realize is that the sciatic nerve has the largest circumference of any nerve in the human body. It is no wonder that when damaged it can cause excruciating pain.

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Look Into Getting A New Mattress

How old is your bed? You may be surprised to learn that the average life span of a mattress is less than 10 years. Theres no hard-and-fast rule, says Sean Mackey, MD, PhD, chief of the division of pain medicine at Stanford University, but if your mattress is sagging significantly or is more than six to eight years old, Id think about getting a new one.

Something else to consider: A firm mattress may not do your back any favors, says Carmen R. Green, MD, a physician at the University of Michigan Back & Pain Center. A number of studies over the years suggest that people with lower back pain who sleep on medium-firm mattresses do better than those with firm beds, she says.

Which Way Should You Go

The wide array of back-pain treatment choices can be daunting, suggests Penney Cowan, executive director of the American Chronic Pain Association. There is no road map that says turn left here and turn right there, says Cowan.

The advice of a trusted family doctor is a logical place to start your journey. Once a serious problem such as a tumor has been ruled out, back pain treatment is often a collaborative course of treatment. Make sure your general practitioner understands the range of caregivers and the variety of approaches, and start shopping.

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