Emotional Support Is Important
You may have to lean on friends and family when facing difficult situations caused by chronic pain or other problems. Your loved ones can play an important role in supporting your recovery. Your doctor and community also may give you extra support.
Asking for support from others is not always easy. It can be hard to tell someone about your problems. But don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Where you can get support
- Family. Family members can help you cope by giving you comfort and encouragement.
- Friends. Building strong relationships with others is important for your emotional well-being. Helping is a big part of friendship. At times you may be the one who encourages a friend.
- Counselling. Professional counselling can help you cope with situations that interfere with your life and cause stress. Counselling can help you understand and deal with your pain. You can learn ways to stop negative thoughts. See the topic Stop Negative Thoughts: Choosing a Healthier Way of Thinking.
- Stop Negative Thoughts: Getting Started
How friends and family can help
You Had A Fall Accident Or Trauma
If you’ve recently been injured via a fall, blow or accident, the back or neck pain that follows should be checked by a doctor as soon as possible. Even if you were able to walk away intact, any new spine pain may be related to the impact.
If you have osteoporosis and have recently fallen or been in an accident, there is an increased likelihood of a spine injury.
Which Type Of Doctors Treat Sciatica Pain
Did you know that sciatic nerve pain is one of the most common types of pain? In fact, more than 40 percent of people will experience sciatic nerve pain in their lifetime. Even with these astonishing statistics, sciatic pain is still largely misunderstood. What type of pain is sciatica? Is it back pain or leg pain? What type of specialist do I see for treatment of sciatica? This guide will answer all of these questions and so many more about sciatic nerve pain.
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Why You Should Avoid Back Surgery
One of the primary reasons why back surgery should be avoided is the risk. All surgeries carry the risk of infection, excessive bleeding, and nerve injury. Not to mention many people dont like being put under general anesthesia or that they may have to use potentially addictive pills to manage the pain after surgery.29 2020 .
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Back Pain Treatment At Home
The good news is that, given time, most back pain gets better on its own. Over-the-counter pain medication may help ease your symptoms. You can also try applying hot or cold packs to reduce your back pain. Both heat and cold stimulate the nerves so use whichever you prefer and see what works best for you. Doctors more commonly recommend heat to relax tight muscles, but you may find ice reduces swelling. Use your heat or cold pack for about 15 to 20 minutes at a time. Dont apply the heat or cold treatment directly to skin. Rest and avoiding activities that especially put strain on your back may also help while you heal. However, doctors dont generally recommend bed rest when your back hurts.
Should You See A Neurologist For Back And Neck Pain
People often think of a chiropractic doctor for chronic pain, but neurologists also diagnose and treat back pain and neck pain. Neurologists specialize in conditions and diseases that affect the brain, the spinal cord, and the nervous system this often includes chronic pain in the back and neck.
Talk to your primary care provider if you experience chronic back pain or neck pain. Your doctor can help you determine if you should see a specialist, such as a neurologist, for your symptoms. Some health insurance plans require a referral from your primary care physician. Contact Fayetteville Diagnostic Clinic to schedule an appointment with our board-certified neurologists in Northwest Arkansas.
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Back Sprain Or Strain
Symptoms typically include:
- Muscle spasms, cramping, and stiffness.
- Pain in the back and sometimes in the buttock. It may come on quickly or gradually. It most often occurs in episodes. Certain movements make it worse, and doing light activities such as walking makes it feel better. The worst pain usually lasts 48 to 72 hours and may be followed by days or weeks of less severe pain.
Go To Doctorrowecom For More Videos On Back And Neck Pain
Dr. Vernon Rowe has a web-based informational website that provides in-depth information about each of the neurological conditions that we specialize in, including informational videos like this one, with transcripts, that are unlike anything else on the webthey are NOT SPONSORED by any pharmaceutical company or other commercial entity. Go to DOCTORROWE.COM. The information provided will help you navigate your care wherever you go, with knowledge about the questions you should ask your doctor, and the tests that may be recommended, as well as some tips on how to obtain cost effective care, wherever you live.
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Reasons To See A Neurologist For Your Back Pain And Neck Pain
Surgery is not the final answer for back and neck pain.
Why? Well, put simply, one bad thing leads to another bad thing. Think of an injury. Injuring your ankle creates a weakness, which makes a future injury more likely. Similarly, I believe that one spine surgery frequently leads to more spine surgeries. Its a complex topic and there are several factors that contribute to the high frequency of reoperations amongst spinal surgery patients, the biggest being that most who undergo it arent actually candidates for the surgery.
This is not to say that surgery is never the answer. There are times in which IT IS, in fact, the best treatment and a second surgery is never needed. But, before you undergo the knife, you should first consult a specialist other than a surgeon specifically a neurologist.
Here are four main reasons why you need to see a neurologist for your back and/or neck pain before seeing a surgeon.
What Doctor To See For Sciatica Pain
In most cases, sciatica is caused by spine issues. Therefore, if your insurance allows it, usually the best doctor to see for sciatica pain is a spine specialist. These include disc herniation, spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis and spine injury. Spine doctors are trained in these specific conditions and have the most experience treating them.
If your sciatica is the result of one of the less common piriformis syndrome or a tumor a spine doctor can help diagnose these conditions and refer you to a specialist if necessary.
Women who are pregnant and experiencing sciatica should first discuss their symptoms with their obstetrician. You can then have a conversation with your OB/GYN to determine if you should visit a spine specialist for your pain.
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Pay Attention To Your Body Mechanics And Posture
Body mechanics are the way you use your body. Posture is the way you sit or stand.
- To prevent a return of low back pain, you will need to take extra care when you lift. When you must lift, bend your knees and flex from your hips. Don’t let your spine slump.
- Back Problems: Proper Lifting
Xiii Surgery For Lower Back Pain
Because the vast majority of patients recover from their low back pain with little help from a doctor, the rationale behind choosing surgery must be convincing.Eighty percent of patients with sciatica recover eventually without surgery.
Severe progressive nerve problems, bowel or bladder dysfunction and the cauda equina syndrome make up the most clear-cut indications for back surgery. Back surgery will also be considered if the patients signs and symptoms correlate well with studies such as MRI or electromyogram .
In the most serious cases, when the condition does not respond to other therapies, surgery may well be necessary to relieve pain caused by back problems. Some common procedures include:
- Discectomy removal of disc material that has herniated
- Spinal fusion a bone graft that promotes the vertebrae to fuse together
- Spinal laminectomy removal of the lamina to create more space and reduce irritation and inflammation
To get an in-depth look at surgical procedures for lower back pain, visit .
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When To See An Orthopedic Doctor For Back Pain
Back pain is a fairly common occurrence, especially among active adults and the elderly. The pain can come and go, or it may persist. Sometimes it can be hard to determine whether it warrants medical attention.
Here are a few guidelines to help you decide when to see an orthopedic doctor. An orthopedic doctor specializes in the health of bones and joints and can diagnose and treat back pain that is caused by a variety of musculoskeletal ailments.
Ii What Are The Causes Of Lower Back Pain
The vast majority of patients experience back pain because of mechanical reasons. They strain a muscle from heavy lifting or twisting, suffer a sudden jolt in a car accident, experience stress on spinal bones and tissues resulting in a herniated disc, or suffer from osteoarthritis, a potentially painful degeneration of one or more joints. Common causes for low back pain are as follows:
- Mechanical or Functional Injury
- Inflammation
- Neoplastic
- Referred Pain
To choose the safest and most effective therapy, doctors need to consider the full spectrum of possible underlying issues, such as inflammatory conditions, fracture, infection, as well as some serious conditions unrelated to the back that radiate pain to the back.
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Holistic And Osteopathic Specialists
In the event of chronic or severe back pain, many individuals tend to prefer to see osteopathic or holistic specialists. These types of doctors and professionals include osteopathic physicians and chiropractic specialists.
Osteopaths are put through the same training and licensing/certification processes that all medical doctors must obtain to practice medicine, but they tend to do additional studies of the musculoskeletal system. They then will prefer to treat pain problems medically, but with an additional emphasis on the potential lifestyle and environmental factors which may be contributing to the pain problem.
Chiropractors are trained in the proper alignment of the spine and may be able to provide some of the most immediate relief to back pain problems. This is done through periodic adjustments and treatments that attempt to maintain alignment and prevent further pain issues.
Your Primary Care Doctor Has Recommended You See A Spine Specialist
If youre like most people, when you first develop a medical concern, you make an appointment with your primary care doctor. And this is a good first step. Your primary care physician can perform a physical exam, order imaging studies, and diagnose and treat sciatica. But if your case is more complex, you may be referred to a spine surgeon. Keep in mind, seeing a surgeon doesnt mean you will definitely require surgery. Its just the next step in the process of finding the best treatment plan for you.
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Treatment For Testicular Pain
Iâm going to assume that youâve had a normal exam, imaging tests and have never had a vasectomy. This leads us to our diagnosis of chronic testicular pain .
First and foremost, we recommend viewing this condition like headaches and backaches. Most headaches arenât due to brain cancer. Most backaches donât require a visit to the spine surgeon. They are musculoskeletal in nature.
When muscles and nerves are irritated, most exams are normal. Unfortunately quick fixes are not always possible.
Here are some options for treating chronic testicular pain:
Pain That Keeps You Up At Night
Back pain that keeps you up at night, or gets worse when you rest, is generally not life-threatening. That said, it’s best to get it checked, especially when accompanied by fever.
Back or neck pain with fever may be a sign of an infection such as meningitis. Infections can get serious, fast, so don’t delay that call to your doctor prompt diagnosis and treatment may save your life.
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Ask About Specific Red
While rare, certain types of sciatic nerve pain may indicate a medical emergency and require immediate treatment. Ask your doctor if there are specific red-flag symptoms that you need to look out for. Understanding these symptoms can help you make a timely visit to the doctor and prevent serious complications.
See When Sciatica Pain Is a Medical Emergency
As a general rule, if you have worsening neurological signs and symptoms, if neurological deficits occur in both legs, if you have bladder or bowel incontinence, or if symptoms occur after an accident or trauma, you should seek immediate medical attention. These signs and symptoms may indicate serious medical conditions such as cauda equina syndrome, which must be treated on an urgent basis to preserve leg function.
Schedule An Appointment With Your Doctor
Pain Treatment Specialists has some of the best knee doctors in the country. Our knee pain doctors Dr. George Hanna, Dr. Namrata Khimani, and Dr. Michael Nguyen are board-certified interventional pain specialists who have graduated from Ivy League universities. They diagnose the root cause of your knee pain using X-Rays, CT Scans, and MRIs and then they treat it using the latest minimally invasive knee pain treatments. For more information, please schedule an appointment with your doctor today.
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What Does A Chiropractor Do For Lower Back Pain
Theyll manipulate the muscles and bones in the spine to induce proper alignment, such as popping certain bones out of place or snapping bones back into place.
They might cause a significant amount of pain in the process, but most skilled chiropractors can help people feel much more energetic and aligned after a session. When deciding what to do about your back pain, choose the chiropractor to help , and revamp your life.
Should I Go To An Orthopedic Doctor For Back Pain
But if the pain is severe, ongoing, or accompanied by other symptoms such as numbness or tingling in your arms or legs, it may be time to see a back doctor. Start with someone who specializes in nonsurgical treatment for back pain. This can include a physiatrist, chiropractor, or orthopaedic physician assistant.
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Natural Ways To Relieve Sciatic Nerve Pain
Ever wake up feeling agonizing pain all the way from your upper thighs to your feet? Do you deal with nagging lower back pain that spreads downward through your buttock and wont seem to quit no matter what you try? You could be dealing with sciatic nerve pain, also called sciatica, which causes painful throbbing in the lower back and limbs. The pain radiates down the body and can be a symptom of spinal stenosis. Its also closely related to piriformis syndrome since the piriformis muscle is near the sciatic nerve.
The problem all starts in the lower spine and can come and go, but one things usually certain when sciatic nerve pain rears its ugly head, youre dealing with a whole lot of discomfort that can quickly ruin your day. Given that the sciatic nerve is the largest single nerve in the body, this makes sense.
The good news is there are remedies for back pain that treat sciatic nerve pain and improve spine health. What are these natural sciatica treatments, and what causes this debilitating lower-body pain? Lets investigate.
When Should I See A Doctor For Back Pain
When your back first starts to hurt, try taking an over-the-counter pain reliever and applying ice in the first 48 hours. You may apply heat after 48 hours. You may need to take it easy for a while, but its best to stay as active as tolerated, and to avoid absolute bed rest, said Dr. Guo.
If your back pain lasts more than two weeks and keeps you from participating in normal, daily activities, see your family doctor. If your pain is severe, you should see a doctor sooner. You should seek urgent medical care if you have:
- Fever associated with back pain
- Back pain after trauma
- Loss of bladder or bowel control
- Loss of strength in your arms and legs
- Unexplained weight loss associated with back pain
Also, always be more cautious if you have special risk factors for cancer, infection, or fractures that may affect the spine.
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