Back pain ranges from a persistent ache to a sharp, shooting sensation. Acute injuries and degenerative diseases cause back pain, and nerve compression causes additional symptoms. When physical checks do not provide enough information, diagnostic tests help determine the source, and a healthcare professional uses those findings to evaluate the condition.
Identifying Back Pain Causes
Acute injuries stretch or tear muscles, ligaments, and tendons, which causes back pain. Sports activities, auto accidents, and falls cause these injuries, and they may damage vertebrae or discs. When aging or degeneration weakens the outer shell of a disc, its soft core pushes through the damaged area, and a herniated disc develops. Nerve compression causes numbness, tingling, burning, prickling, or weakness. A bulging disc, bone spur, or thickened ligament presses on a nerve, and symptoms travel into the buttocks, hips, or legs. When nerve compression affects the lower back, symptoms can travel into the legs, and this condition involves pressure on nerves.
Evaluating Diagnostic Testing Options
A physical examination assesses the ability to sit, stand, walk, and lift the legs. Additional testing provides more information, and physical checks help healthcare professionals evaluate the condition. While X-rays show arthritis or broken bones, MRI and CT scans reveal herniated discs and problems involving bones, muscles, tissue, tendons, nerves, ligaments, and blood vessels; these tests provide different types of diagnostic information.
Electromyography measures electrical impulses produced by nerves and muscle responses. Blood tests help determine whether an infection or another condition causes pain, and nerve studies provide additional diagnostic information. When nerve pressure is suspected, electromyography helps confirm pressure on nerves caused by a herniated disc or spinal stenosis, and the results provide information about nerve function.
Treating Spinal Pain Symptoms
Home treatment helps some cases of back pain. Pain relievers and heat might be enough, and bed rest is not recommended. When home treatment does not improve pain after several weeks, a healthcare professional might recommend stronger medicines or other therapies, and treatment depends on the condition.
Treatment options include anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants, topical pain relievers, and certain antidepressants. Physical therapy uses exercises to increase flexibility, strengthen back and abdominal muscles, and improve posture, and physical therapists teach movement modifications. When symptoms flare during specific movements, physical therapists teach modifications that help patients remain active.
Cortisone shots decrease inflammation around nerve roots. Radiofrequency ablation damages nearby nerves to interfere with pain signals, while surgery creates more space within the spine in some cases. When increasing muscle weakness or pain that travels into the legs occurs, surgery is sometimes helpful.
Exploring Alternative Care Methods
Acupuncture uses thin, sterilized needles at specific points on the body. Evidence indicates that acupuncture can help with back pain, and patients discuss its benefits and risks with a healthcare professional. When people with back pain use yoga, they stretch and strengthen muscles while improving posture, but they might need to adjust poses if symptoms worsen.
Chiropractic care uses spinal manipulation to ease pain. Massage might help pain caused by tense or overworked muscles, and yoga incorporates poses, breathing, and relaxation techniques. When symptoms worsen during yoga, people adjust their poses, and yoga also provides stretching and strengthening exercises.
Schedule a Back Pain Consultation
Acute injuries, degenerative diseases, and nerve compression cause back pain. Healthcare professionals examine movement and use diagnostic tests when needed, and available treatments depend on the cause and severity of symptoms. When back pain persists, a healthcare professional evaluates the condition and discusses available treatment options. Home treatment includes pain relievers and heat. Physical therapy addresses flexibility, strength, and posture, and other therapies and procedures address back pain based on its cause and severity. When home treatment does not improve symptoms, a healthcare professional discusses other treatment options with the patient.