When Should You Consider Visiting Surgeon for Back Pain?
February 29, 2016Mist adults face at least one case back pain during their lifetime. Acute low back pain can last between two to twelve weeks. If you suffer from consistent back pain you first need to visit a doctor for a consultation or a chiropractor. This type of severe back pain is usually suffered by adults between the ages of 30 and 60. Spine surgery may be suggested by the doctor to help fix the problem.
What can you expect at the doctor’s or chiropractors?
A doctor may provide you with prescription medication such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. In the case of severe episodes of back pain prescribe non-narcotic pain medications or a short course of narcotic pain medications. A doctor may also advise physical therapy and refer you to a chiropractor.
A chiropractor uses mechanical methods to reduce a patient’s lower back pain. When all these methods of treatment fail, the surgeon may suggest the patient undergo a spine surgery to correct the condition.
What are the main causes of back pain?
A patient must understand that back pain is a symptom of a medical condition. Some medical problems that cause back pain are:
Know about Symptoms of back pain.
1. Mechanical problems: A mechanical problem occurs due to the way a patient’s spine moves or the way a patient feels when the spine is moved in a certain way. In vertebral disc degeneration is the most common mechanical cause of back pain. Another cause is the wearing down of facet joints which are the joints which connect the vertebrae to each other.
2. Acquired conditions and diseases: There are several medical problems that can cause the patient severe back pain. Scoliosis which causes the curvature of the back is believed to cause back pain during a patient’s mid-life. Spinal stenosis which is the narrowing of the spinal cord that puts pressure on the spinal cord and nerves is believed to be another cause of back pain.
3. Injuries: Spine injuries such as fractures and sprains can cause both chronic as well as short-lived back pain to the patient. The tears in the ligaments that support the spine are called sprains.
They can occur when a patient lifts a heavy object improperly causing the ligament to tear. Fractured vertebrae’s, on the other hand, are caused due to osteoporosis which is a condition that leads to weak and porous bones. Back pain can also be caused due to severe injuries because of accidents and falls.
Any type of surgery involving the spine must be taken with great care. It is crucial to consult with your doctor as sometimes non-surgical methods can be used to treat the back pain.
Spine surgery is recommended to a patient if they suffer from chronic back pain and all non-surgical forms of treatment have been exhausted.