Back pain is one of the reasons people seek medical attention and can result from medical conditions, injuries, or strenuous activities. Back pain can affect anyone regardless of their age. But as you get older, you are more likely to experience back pain due to some factors such as degenerative disk injury and previous occupation. If you have persistent symptoms, seek medical attention for your back pain in West Orange. Here is all you need to know about back pain.
Causes of Back Pain
Strain. If you strain your muscles too much, you might experience back pain. A strain occurs with the lifting of heavy objects and sudden unnecessary movements. It can also result from overactivity. Frequent causes are injuries, muscle spasms, strained muscles, or ligaments.
Structural problems. Vertebrae are the joining bones that make up the spine. Discs are the soft tissues present in the spaces between each vertebra. Disc injuries commonly cause back pain. These discs can bulge or herniate and when this happens they press on the nerves causing pain.
Movement and posture. Adopting a very awkward sitting position while using computers can cause increased back and shoulder pains.
When to See a Doctor
Even though back pain is a common condition, most cause clear up without medical treatment. You should make sure you see your doctor if your pain lasts for a long time, interferes with your daily activities, and if it is not very good.
If you have any changes in sexual function like being unable to erect, you should see a doctor. If the pain is stopping you from living a normal life and doing daily activities, your doctor will do some exams and ask you questions about your pain to develop a treatment plan.
Diagnosing Back Pain
Doctors are expected to use a common sense ‘wait and see’ approach when diagnosing back pain before recommending further treatment. An imaging scan and other tests may be required if your back pain results from injury or if there is an underlying condition causing the pain.
X-rays are used to show bone alignments and detect a sign of broken bones or arthritis but it doesn’t show any signs of damaged muscles, nerves, or disks.
MRI or CT scans reveal problems with tendons, nerves, blood vessels, muscles, bones, and herniated disks.
Bone scans are done to detect compression fractures or tumors. A radioactive tracer is injected into the veins to help your doctor detect bone problems with the help of a camera.
EMG is a nerve study that measures the nerves’ impulses and the muscles’ responses. It confirms nerve compression caused by narrowing of the spine.
Back pain is a common condition that affects anyone regardless of their age. But as you grow older, you are more likely to experience back pain. The Pain Center of NJ has specialists who are more experienced in treating back injuries without surgical interventions. You can take a step of faith and trust them to take care of your back pain by booking an appointment online.
