3.2 C
United States of America
Saturday, March 23, 2024

How Spine Specialists Evaluate and Treat Back Pain

Must read

Back pain is a reality that every person feels at one point or another especially those people who are physically active such as athletes. For people who are not as physically active, back pain is still a common occurrence especially when they strain their backs from carrying heavy loads, sleeping on hard surfaces, and a lack of physical activity. These are just occasions when a person
experiences back pain. There are many more causes for back pain and understanding why this happens is essential in being able to avoid this. Paralysis is a condition that nobody ever needs to experience. This is why we should all take precautionary measure in caring the best we can for our back. If you experience back pain on a regular basis, it is imperative that you seek help from a
chiropractor or a back specialist immediately so they can determine the cause and device a good treatment.

Causes of back pain

A lot of factors play into back pain. You must first determine what the cause of your back pain. Most back pain is attributed to wear and tear from physical activities. This is why when you visit your doctor for the first time, it is crucial to tell your doctor of your physical activities as well as any relevant information that puts you at risk. You will also need to give your doctor a family history of relatives who have also experienced back problems. Other factors that cause back pain can be attributed to your lifestyle and your age. Some of the clinical causes of back pain are:
  • Aortic Aneurism
  • Osteoporosis
  • Cancer
Back pain can also be caused by physical activity such as:
  • Overexertion
  • Sudden movements
  • Heavy Lifting
  • Injuries from falling down
  • Sports injuries
Also Read   Negative Effects of Skipping Breakfast

Types of back pain

When your back is in pain, it becomes almost impossible to think about anything else. The only other thought that would probably come into your head is how you are going to see a doctor. Some types of back pain are:
  • Upper back pain
  • Left back pain
  • High back pain

Evaluating back pain

When you visit your doctor, there are several clinical tests that are used to evaluate your back pain. These tests determine the source of your pain so that specialists may diagnose your condition and device a treatment.
  • Straight leg raising test- Often patients suffering from sciatica and radicular pain feel distressed when this test is performed. It involves the patient lying down on their back and the specialist raises one leg 60°.
  • Femoral stretch test- This test involves the patient lying chest down and their leg is raised. This test determines whether a patient is is experiencing pain in their lower back
  • Contralateral straight leg raising test- This test is similar to the straight leg raising test where the leg is raised 60° and it normally shows that a patient is suffering a herniated disc.
  • Faber test- This test involves the patient lying on their side and their knee is bent downwards.
  • Movement of the spine- This test stretches the patient’s back as it involves the patient standing up and trying to reach their legs. This determines if the patient is suffering from spinal pain.

Treating back pain

Physical treatment of back pain can be extremely painful because they involve a lot of movement. These treatments are absolutely necessary to relieve or cure a person suffering from back pain. Here are some treatments that specialists suggest to their patients. These treatments along with chiropractic treatment will
greatly reduce your back pain.
1. The emergency back position- This exercise is basic treatment that is easy to do as you lie down flat on your back and rest your legs on an elevated object like a chair or a couch and simply relax.
2. Icing your back- This treatment involves the use of an ice
pack which you apply on your back as you lie down flat on your stomach. You must apply an ice pack on your back for at least 10 minutes. After this duration, remove the ice pack then elevate your upper body by resting your torso on your elbows for a minute. Keep in mind that your elbows must be touching your ribs as this is the best way to stretch your back. After the minute, you will lie back down flat on your stomach and rest for another minute. You will then put back the ice bag on your back and let it stay there for another ten minutes. Repeat this whole process for an hour every day.
3. The sitting posture- The sitting posture must be done on a bench or a stool. A couch or a chair will not suffice because these allow you to slouch which is absolutely bad for your back.
4. Workstation posture- As you are at work or at home, you will
find yourself sitting down most of the time. When you do so, you must have a chair with proper lumbar support that will allow you to sit upright at all times. This will help your poster and it will also alleviate some of the pain.
Lifting Objects- If you are suffering from back pain, it would not be suggested that you lift objects heavy or light. During your treatment, you must rest your back and avoid lifting at all costs. If you must lift certain objects at home or at work, there is
a optimal way of lifting.What most people do is they lift with objects with their back. This is wrong. The proper way of lifting objects is by lifting using your legs. Instead of bending your back down to pick up an object, you should squat your legs to pick up that object. Once you are in movement, always keep in mind to
have a straight back. This will avoid unneeded tension that may further hurt your back.

Daily Pick