Back Pain That Won’t Go Away? When You May Need Spine Evaluation

The spine is a bony structure that contains many vertebrae, tiny bones, muscles, nerves and connective tissue in between- and it serves as the tunnel for all communications to pass to and from the brain via the spinal cord. When you suffer from chronic back pain that does not get better with rest or painkillers, it is time to consider getting a lower back pain evaluation done at the best spine hospital in Hyderabad.
Chronic back pain- lower or upper can affect your quality of life immensely and make you compensate in more ways than one, with respect to your routine, posture, work habits and anything else you can think of. This can also impact other organ systems and cause systemic issues if left untreated.
Causes For Chronic Back Pain
These are some common causes for back pain to occur-
- If you have a herniated disc- also called a slipped disc. The pain can be sharp, shooting and lead to numbness at times.
- Sprain or strain– if muscles or ligaments are used in the wrong way- like twisting or lifting very heavy objects in the wrong way- it can lead to muscle strains and ligament sprains. Minor ones will heal with rest but severe cases may need physiotherapy for chronic back pain to get better.
- Sciatica– if the sciatic nerve gets pinched, pressed or irritated in any way, you can have shooting pain from the lower back to the legs. If your symptoms don’t get better with treatment or rest, you should get a detailed lower back pain evaluation done, to decide the next steps for your treatment.
- Degenerative disc disease is another well known cause and happens due to advancing age.
- Spinal stenosis– The spinal canal gets narrower with age and this can lead to nerve compression. If your symptoms don’ get better with time, you may require spine nerve compression treatment.
- Fractures and traumatic injuries can lead to back pain.
Symptoms You Should Never Ignore
If you have the following symptoms, please talk to a spine specialist immediately., without any delay!
- If pain lasts for more than 2 weeks.
- If pain is getting worse even when you rest and not letting you sleep at night.
- If you notice numbness, tingling or other issues in the legs.
- If you notice incontinence or loss of bowel and bladder control.
- If there is a fever along with severe back pain.
- If you notice marked changes to posture or gait due to chronic pain.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Back Pain
Diagnosis involves noting down your symptoms and then using imaging to understand where the problem is present. Spinal MRIs, X-rays, CT scans and nerve conduction studies can be done. Blood tests are also recommended if an infection is suspected.
Chronic back pain treatment involves the use of a combination of approaches-
- Anti-inflammatory medications, painkillers or muscle relaxants are prescribed.
- Physiotherapy for chronic back pain can help improve muscle function, flexibility and reduce stiffness and pain over time.
- Making ergonomic changes to your home and workspace so posture is better is a good starting point.
- You will need to get regular exercise and eat nutritious foods, so your body has better resources to repair itself.
- You can consider opting for minimally invasive spine surgery, if your symptoms can be relieved with such a procedure- like nerve compression or slipped disc for example.
- Surgical procedures are done for more complex cases- when minimally invasive surgery is not possible and there are other factors that need to be considered.
Conclusion
If you have chronic back pain, stiffness, poor mobility and joint function and have started to experience neuropathy and related issues, walk into KIMS Sunshine Hospital today as we are the best orthopaedic hospital in Hyderabad. Our top spine specialists will help diagnose you accurately and treat you holistically, so you feel better.