One of the most common excuses used to skip school or work is persistent back pain. With every passing day, back pain is becoming the leading cause of disabilities across the globe. Every individual is said to have experienced back pain at least once in their lifetime. It’s the number one compliant when visiting a chiropractor for chiropractic services.
Fortunately, there are many different preventive measures that can be taken to prevent the occurrence of back pain. In many cases, the symptoms only need to be clearly identified, and appropriate treatment regimes will follow, especially when seeking help from physiotherapy.
Common Symptoms of Back Pain
Most commonly, signs of back pain include muscle pain, stabbing aches, pain radiating down the leg, and pain that worsens with movement or improves with rest.
Back pain is meant to gradually improve with lots of rest or common home remedies and should disappear within a week. If your symptoms worsen or the back pain is persistent, immediately consult a chiro Carlton.
In some cases, back pain can indicate other underlying medical issues and must be carefully attended to. If your back pain is accompanied with bladder problems, fever or follows an injury, you should head to your nearest hospital as soon as possible.
The Diagnosis
When you visit a chiropractor, he is likely to conduct a physical exam of your back and test your ability to move around freely. You will also be asked to rate your pain on a scale of one to ten and to describe the general feeling of your pain sensation.
These typical tests allow doctors to determine the root cause of the pain and whether or not they should refer you to other testing options. In case a doctor suspects that there could be another medical problem leading to your back pain, the following tests may be advised:
1. X-Ray: This will show the alignment, health and positioning of your bones.
2. MRI / CT Scan: These can allow doctors to examine any problems with bones, muscles, tissue or nerves in your body.
3. Blood Tests: This common type of testing allows doctors to determine whether there is an infection present in your body.
Treatments for Back Pain
Most kinds of back pain should get better within a week of using home remedies. However, if your back pain is persistent and severe, there are other treatment regimes recommended by all physiotherapist
For acute back pain that is not rated too severe on pain rating scales, common pain relievers or heat therapy is highly recommended. In these cases, bed rest is not advised, and it is better to get your body back in normal shape. Light activity such as walking or climbing the stairs should be easy for you to handle, despite the back pain.
If the pain does not get better after a week or two, other kinds of medication may be prescribed. These include:
Pain Relievers: Anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen or naproxen sodium may be prescribed to patients experiencing acute back pain. If your case is severe, you could be given certain prescription medications that are used to treat more serious pain.
Muscle Relaxants: If medications are of no help, your doctor may move further to prescribe harsh muscle relaxants that cause side effects such as dizziness or excessive sleeping. These relaxants help speed up the healing process of muscles.
Topical Medication: Creams or ointments may be given to massage the site of pain and reduce the pain being experienced.
Narcotics: In extremely serious cases of back pain, drugs that contain oxycodone or hydrocodone may be prescribed for a very short period of time, while being monitored by a doctor.