Persistent back pain can be challenging as it can limit your mobility and decrease the amount and quality of your sleep. A professional care provider reviews your symptoms and runs diagnostic tests like digital imaging scans. These tests help give your doctor the needed information to diagnose and treat the root cause of your condition. Here are some questions you can ask your back doctor during your appointment:
Why Does My Back Hurt?
You can start by asking your back doctor why you are experiencing chronic pain. Chronic pain is characterized as pain or unpleasantness that lasts longer than 3 months or the traditional recovery period for an injury and becomes more permanent. This condition can be frustrating, as over-the-counter pain relievers may not be as effective in treating symptoms.
Your doctor will ask about the type of pain you are experiencing to help diagnose the problem. Lower back pain with a numbing or tingling sensation that goes down one or both legs could be a sign of sciatica or a herniated disc. Aching and stiffness could be a symptom of an injury or a pre-existing condition, like arthritis. Identifying the source of your pain assists your doctor in creating an effective treatment plan.
How Do You Confirm My Diagnosis?
There are several tests that your doctor may perform to diagnose your condition. A physical examination includes examining your spine, testing your nerve funtions, and seeing how your pain affects your mobility. More in-depth tests, like X-rays, allow your doctor to see your skeletal system to check for broken or fractured bones, as well as arthritis.
CT scans and MRIs generate highly detailed images of your body’s structures, including your discs, muscles, and nerves. CT scans use multiple X-rays to create cross-sectional images of your body. These images appear as individual frames that are layered on top of one another to create a 3-dimensional object. CT scans are fast and great for assessing disorders on teh bone. MRIs also use magnetic waves to create high-resolution images of the soft tissue structures in your body. This allows your doctor to see issues like herniated discs, pinched nerves, or torn ligaments.
What Are My Treatment Options?
Common treatments for back pain include icing the area, exercises specific for the spine, and over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications. If your pain persists despite these interventions, you may need to begin more direct treatments. Spinal injections, steroid injections, and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections offer relief by directly targeting the source of your pain.
Do I Have Any Limitations?
You may have certain limitations depending on your diagnosis. If you have a recent back injury or are currently experiencing back pain, there are a few activities you should avoid. Don’t try lifting heavy objects or engage in twisting motions, like mopping the floor. High-impact exercises like running or jumping may also aggravate your condition. Applying ice or heat to the area a few times a day for twenty minutes at a time can be helpful. Ice helps lessen swelling and inflammation, while heat relaxes muscles.
Schedule a Consultation With a Back Doctor
At Regenerative Medicine and Orthopedics (DBA), we provide non-surgical treatment options to rehabilitate sporting injuries and chronic spine and joint conditions. Our experienced doctor will do a comprehensive evaluation and then craft a personalized treatment plan for your needs. These non-operative options can offer faster recovery times and immediate relief than surgical solutions. Contact us today to schedule your 1-hour consultation.