Low Back Pain
Pain in the lower back (lumbago) is a common problem many people have to live with. Low back pain can start in the early twenties and continue throughout adulthood. Some of the most common causes of low back pain include:
- Prolonged sitting
- Sedentary or highly physical jobs
- Obesity
- Extreme tallness
- Bending the trunk to the side or forward
Home treatment and self-care can help you relieve the pain in some cases. You should contact your doctor if lower back pain:
- Doesn’t improve with rest
- Persists past a few weeks
- Spreads down one or both legs
- You feel numbness and tingling in the buttocks or lower extremities
Your description of back pain is fundamental for your doctor to diagnose your condition correctly. The diagnostic methods vary based on your unique situation, and they may include:
- Bone scans
- Radiography (X-ray films)
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
- Diagnostic injections
- Blood tests
- Computed tomography (CT) scans
- Electromyography (EMG) and many other specialized tests
Treatments
The goals of the treatment are to reduce pain, increase function, and improve your overall quality of life. Depending on the cause of your low back pain, a variety of nonsurgical treatments can be offered, such as:
- Hot or cold therapy
- Anti-inflammatory and analgesic medications
- Physical therapy
- Ultrasound
- Acupuncture
- Chiropractic manipulation
- TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation)
- Steroid injections
To find the proper diagnosis and adequate treatment for your low back pain, book an appointment with Space City Pain Specialists and experience pain-free life once again.