Back Pain Diagnosis is crucial for effective treatment of your back problem. The pain signals that there is something wrong with your body. When we experience back pain, it indicates that there is a problem with our back. The condition causing pain could at times be of a complex nature and only an accurate diagnosis can rectify it.

Accurate Results Now Possible

With the modern day developments in the field of science and technology, it has now become possible to get very accurate diagnosis, especially for your complex problems.

In case of minor conditions, your doctor can tell the cause of the backache just by observing your ability to sit, stand, walk and lift your legs. When the condition is major, it may be difficult to pin point the real cause of the problem just by looking at you.

Generally, knowing ones medical history and a brief physical examination are always essential. However, if a reason arises which suspects fracture, tumor, infection or any other condition to be a cause of your backache; your doctor may order tests to confirm the condition. These tests assist in making an accurate back pain analysis based on the detailed pictures or images of the soft tissues and other parts affecting the pain. Some of the common tests that are administered are:

X ray provides details of the bone structures in the spine, and is commonly used to check for instability like spondylolisthesis, tumors, and fractures.

CT scans are very detailed x rays and take cross section images of the body. They provide excellent bone detail and are also capable of imaging for specific conditions, such as herniated disc or spinal stenosis.

MRI scans are particularly useful to assess certain conditions by providing the details of the disc (for degenerative disc disease) and nerve roots (such as for herniated discs). MRI scans are also useful to rule out tumors or spinal infections. The physician usually has a good idea of what he is looking for, and the scan is most commonly used for pre-surgical planning.

Bone scan procedure involves intravenously injecting a small quantity of a radiographic marker into the patient and running the scanner over the area of concern. It is utilized when there is suspicion of tumor, infection, or small fractures.

Diagnosis Followed Up With Treatment

Doctors may differ on backache diagnosis and the accompanying treatment. The important thing however is that the results need to be correlated with your symptoms and other tests. A combination of tests may help in arriving at the most accurate conclusion of the problem.

The treatment would vary according to the specific condition. It usually extends to a few days or weeks as there are no short cuts to back pain treatment. Treatment may include medication, exercises, physiotherapy, chiropractic manipulation or probably surgery in very critical cases. Alternate therapies such as magnetic therapy, acupuncture, and yoga too are gaining in popularity.