Diagnosing Back Pain – Why We Need a Professional

Diagnosing Back Pain – Why We Need a Professional

All you know right now is that your back hurts. When you sit, stand, roll over 

or try to stretch, it just hurts. You may think you can ignore the pain in 

hopes it will go away. This is fine if back pain is a rare occurrence in your 

life, brought on only after attending to a back-breaking chore. But, once 

back pain becomes a routine part of your day, you need a medical 

professional to get a proper diagnosis and treatment.

You know, a little knowledge can be dangerous. Many of us are “armchair 

physicians” when it comes to healing our own wounds. When your back first 

begins to hurt, you may put heat on to relax the muscles or ice packs on to 

reduce the inflammation and dull the pain. This is not necessarily a bad thing 

UNTIL you realize that your back pain hasn't lessened. Worse yet, you 

misdiagnosed the cause of your back pain and you're icing a knotted muscle 

and heating an inflamed joint.

What will your doctor do to diagnose your back pain?

One of the main reasons to consult a physician about your back pain is 

because it can be caused by things other than the run-of-the-mill suspects 

like injury, strain, exercise, or excess weight. As an example, your kidneys 

lie against your back outside of the abdominal cavity. Kidney stones and 

kidney infections can cause pain in the back. Assuming your lingering back 

pain can be stretched out or cured with ice packs could be dangerous.

Rather than make assumptions, your doctor will begin by asking you a series 

of questions meant to zero in on a few clues about the origin of your back 

pain:

•  How long have you had your pain?

•  What does it feel like? Is it sharp or dull?

•  When does the pain occur? Sitting? Standing? Lying down?

•  How have you managed the pain so far?

Now, the detective work begins. Your doctor will perform various tests, 

based on your answers, to diagnose the cause of your back pain. This series 

of tests is the best way to come up with a helpful treatment.

Visual – The doctor will have you stand and look at your back. He can 

evaluate your posture, feel for any bulges in the back or areas that are 

sensitive to pain. This can be done during your initial visit.

X-rays – This is the only way to see your bones. The doctor can check the 

bones of the vertebrae and the surrounding supporting tissue. If there are 

any misalignments or fractures, you will have a better idea of what you will 

be dealing with in the way of treatments.

MRI – This is the magnetic tube which allows the doctor and technicians to 

see the soft tissue. If there is a herniated disc or a degenerative disc 

problem, the doctor will know.

Myelograms – This involves the nerves. When a disc is herniated, nerves 

can become pinched. By injecting dye into the spinal cord, doctors can see if 

and where nerve damage is occurring.

Self-diagnosing back pain is a risky business. A backache now and again 

when you've been out mowing the lawn or painting the house is 

understandable. However, intense or long-term back pain is nothing to play 

around with. It could be a sign that something is wrong with either the 

structure of your back or your general health. A visit with your doctor will 

either reassure you that rest and exercise will help your back or you'll find 

proper treatment to resolve a health issue. Seeing your doctor is the only 

way to put your mind at ease and get on with your day – without that old 

pain in the back!

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