Living Life in Back Pain? Consult the Right Back Pain Specialist

Back Pain Symptoms

Generally back pain symptoms range in intensity from mild to severe, and may be constant or sudden, mild or debilitating. If you notice any of the following symptoms, you are most likely undergoing some kind of lower back problem:

Difficulty in moving, which can be severe enough to restrict movement
Pain not only shoots down the leg but also affects the groin, buttock or upper thigh
Dull aching sensations
Muscle spasms, which can turn severe
Local soreness upon touch
Chronic or acute low back strain
Back pain at night

Back pain can, however, carry signs of more serious damage if accompanied with other symptoms like sudden bowel and/or bladder incontinence – either difficulty passing urine or having a bowel movement, or loss of control of urination or bowel movement (cauda equina syndrome), and severe, continuous abdominal pain (abdominal aortic aneurysm).

Back Pain Causes

Back pain can be caused due to a wide range of factors, while these factors may differ with age.

For instance, adults of 30-60 years of age are more likely to experience back pain from the any change in disc space of the back bone such as lumbar disc herniation or degenerative disc disease, from a back muscle strain or other soft tissue strain. But 60+ old adults generally suffer more from pain related to joint degeneration such as osteoarthritis or spinal stenosis, or from a compression fracture. Other causes of back pain include:

Occupational factors such as long desk jobs, sedentary lifestyle, non-ergonomic furniture, etc.
Existing chronic conditions like Fibromyalgia, Spondylitis, etc.
Carrying heavy bags, backpacks etc. for a prolonged period of time
Overextended workouts, or lifting too much weights at the gym
Wrong posture
Inactive lifestyle
Obesity

Back Pain Treatment

Back pain treatment procedures start with consulting a back pain specialist, which is followed by physical examination and assessment of health issues and your medical history. Depending on the severity of the problem and initial diagnosis, the doctor may administer a series of medical tests such as X-rays, blood tests, urine tests, MRI, CT scan, and bone scan to identify any underlying medical conditions that might be contributing to the back pain. The back pain specialist may use a combination of drugs and physical therapy to relieve your back pain. During the span of treatment, you may be advised to temporarily avoid activities like heavy lifting, prolonged sitting, or sudden bending or twisting.