What Is Back Pain?
Back pain is one of the most common reasons people see a doctor, and it can range from mild pain that goes away in a few days to severe pain that interferes with normal activities. Back pain is the sensation of pain that occurs in the backbone area, from the neck to the lower part of the spine, and it can be sudden or long-term. For proper back pain treatment, it is very important to first recognize the type of back pain, understand the back pain reasons behind it, and determine whether it requires urgent medical help. Back pain is usually categorized according to the location of the pain, as each type can have different causes, symptoms, and treatment options. This guide will take you through different kinds of back pain, their symptoms and causes, and back pain treatment options in Mumbai. At The Spine eXpert Clinic, Dr. Zahir Abbas Merchant treats people suffering from various kinds of back pain.
What Is Back Pain?
Back pain is the sensation of pain that occurs in the backbone area from the neck to the lower part of the spine. The pain can be sudden or long-term. Back pain is usually categorized according to the location of the pain since each type of back pain varies in cause and treatment.
Lower Back Pain
The pain in the lower back, which is called lumbar back pain, can be caused by muscle strain, problems with the discs, and pinched nerves.
Upper Back Pain
Upper back pain, located in the thoracic region, is less frequent and results from posture problems, muscular stress, or, more rarely, a structural problem in the upper spine.
Middle Back Pain
Pain in the area between the upper and lower back is caused by poor posture, muscle strain, and/or problems with the thoracic spine or surrounding muscles.
Back Pain Symptoms
Back pain symptoms can appear in different ways. It depends on the kind of pain and where it is located. Common signs include an aching pain, sharp pain that comes during certain movements, stiffness, in the back and sudden muscle spasms. These symptoms can vary from person to person. They often make it hard to move or stay comfortable. The lower back pain symptoms will present themselves with increased pain during sitting and bending in addition to pain that travels down the legs, indicating a problem related to the nerves and not only muscles. Arm or leg numbness, tingling, and weakness, along with pain interfering with sleep and daily activities, indicate the need for a professional examination for the lower back pain.
What Causes Back Pain?
The back pain causes can be varied, and finding the right cause is important for treating the condition, as lower back pain causes and upper back pain causes are often very different.
Lower Back Pain Causes
- Strain in muscles or ligaments due to lifting or sudden movements
- Slipped disc or herniated disc leading to compression of nerves
- Lumbar spondylosis or degenerative disc disease
- Sciatica, which results in leg pain
- Improper posture and sitting for long durations
Upper Back Pain Causes
- Bad posture due to long periods at the desk or looking at the computer
- Strain on muscles due to repetitive motion
- Spinal alignment problem
- Referred pain for neck and cervical pain disorders
- Very rarely any joint or disc problem in the thoracic region
How Back Pain Is Diagnosed
The diagnosis process is started with a physical examination and involves checking the person’s posture, mobility, reflexes, and tender spots. Your doctor will also ask about when the pain happens what makes the pain worse and what things make the pain better. After looking at you your doctor will suggest you have some pictures taken of your body. These pictures may be, from an x-ray, an MRI or a CT scan. Other testing methods can be used for other reasons to exclude other possibilities before starting on the spine pain treatment process. In The Spine eXpert Clinic, this kind of examination may help determine the root of the problem and thus determine the most suitable treatment.
Back Pain Treatment Options
The correct choice of backbone pain treatment will differ depending on the causes of pain, the seriousness of pain, and its duration; however, lower back pain treatment and upper back pain treatment most frequently start with non-surgical treatment options before any more complicated procedures.
Non-Surgical Treatment
- Immediate Rest and Change of Activities
- Physiotherapy for back pain to strengthen supporting muscles and increase mobility
- Medications to relieve pain or inflammation
- Heat or cold treatment
- Epidural steroid injections for nerves that cause sciatic pain
Surgical Treatment
If conservative treatment fails to reduce the symptoms, or if there is nerve compression, surgical options can be explored. These can change from minimally invasive spine surgery in the case of conditions such as a slipped disc or lumbar spondylosis to surgery where the problem is more serious in nature. Surgery is typically resorted to only when all other alternatives fail.
When to See a Back Pain Doctor
The majority of cases of mild back pain usually respond to some form of rest and basic treatment in about a month. It is necessary that you visit your back pain doctor if the pain does not subside even after several weeks, if the pain travels down the arm or leg, if you experience numbness and weakness, or even if you have been injured. Immediate and intense pain, or pain with associated loss of bladder or bowels, must be medically checked immediately without waiting and watching.
In case you need an expert in Mumbai, Dr. Zahir Abbas Merchant, who runs The Spine eXpert Clinic at Mumbai, is highly qualified in diagnosing and treating back pain because he has been practicing orthopaedics for more than 15 years.