Right Medical Solution For Lower Back Pain

By Author: Garima Anamdani
Total Articles: 38
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When it comes to lower back pain, most experts avoid generic solutions. Why? This is because it is the leading symptom of several types of spine problems and other diseases and ailments. Unless you can pinpoint a specific injury, the causes of this kind of pain vary from aging to pregnancy. So, it is best to understand the symptoms holistically and treat the underlying ailment thoroughly.

Causes
Lower back pain is a generic ailment that affects many people. It is really challenging to diagnose if that is the only complaint. However, for major spinal diseases, it is the only symptom in the start. If you approach a spine specialist, a diagnosis is easily possible. Here is a small checklist of potential causes of back pain.

• Sports or work injury
• Herniated Disc
• Arthritis
• Aging
• Sciatica
• Spinal disc
• Degenerative disc disease
• Lumbar disc herniation
• Compression fracture
• Spinal stenosis ...
...

Diagnosis
Any spine specialist will tell you that this is a complex process and involves multiple options. Spine health experts will ask you questions about your past health, other symptoms, daily activities, recent injuries (if any), etc. The physical examination of your back will be followed by diagnostic tests. The most common questions for an accurate diagnosis are:

• Is pain chronic or acute? Is the pain sharp or dull?
• Is the back pain accompanied by any other symptoms such as numbness, weakness, pain in legs, tingling sensations, etc?
• Does it affect your daily movements such as standing, walking, sitting etc?

Based on your replies, the spine health expert will suggest a few tests to confirm the most likely possibilities. The most common diagnostic tests are X-ray, MRI scanning, CAT scanning, bone scanning, Electromyograms (EMG) or nerve conduction velocities (VCV), etc.

Treatment
This is the most complex subject. It is best to say that it will depend on the diagnosis and severity of the back pain and spinal condition. Other factors that will affect the treatment are age, other complexities and previous injuries and ailments. The most common misunderstanding is that when you have a spinal disease, you will have to go for surgery. It can’t be further from the truth. There are several easy, effective and affordable non-surgical options available today. So, most experts recommend the most suitable treatment for your back pain as per your particular case.

Dr Garima Anandani (P.T.), CMP, Dip. MDT
Head- Clinical Operations, Qi Spine Clinic

Dr Anandani is the first clinician from India to qualify for the prestigious Diploma in M.D.T. from The McKenzie Institute International and
University of Otago. She has acquired specialized training in Spine rehabilitation, being more specific to back pain, from St David's Spine and Sports Therapy, Austin, Texas (USA) and from The Polyclinic, Seattle (USA). She is also one of the few Certified Mulligan Practitioners in India, with over 14 years of clinical experience in handling musculoskeletal disorders.