Back Pain Diagnosis: How Back Doctors Identify the Source of Discomfort

Back pain–particularly, low back pain–sends thousands of people to their doctors each year in the United States. About 90 percent of American adults experience this ailment at some point in their lives.

If you have back pain, an orthopedic specialist can identify its source to plan the right treatment. What follows here is how your back doctor diagnoses this pressing problem.

What Causes Back Pain?

Reasons for acute (sudden) or chronic (continuing) back pain are many and varied. Age does play a role in the development of back pain, especially in the lumbar region of the spine. As we age, the spinal bones and intervertebral discs wear down and become less mobile. However, back pain doesn’t just happen in older people.

Anyone at any age can suffer a painful spinal fracture, sprain or strain of associated muscles. The most common causes of back pain in younger people are poor posture and traumatic injury. Infections are less common causes, but they can and do occur and may be related to predisposing health conditions and lifestyle factors.

That being said, accurate diagnosis of the underlying causes of back pain is critical to treatment and recovery. Mild back pain can be treated with some over-the-counter pain medications, application of heat and other at-home remedies. However, if these methods don’t provide relief after two weeks, you should see a back pain specialist without delay.

How Will My Orthopedic Doctor Assess My Back Pain?

Your orthopedic doctor will perform an in-depth evaluation which includes discussion of your symptoms, discussion of your medical history and a physical examination. You doctor may ask you:

• When your symptoms began
• Where they are located
• If they are dull, sharp, tingling
• If they come and go and when
• What may start them
• What may relieve them
• If your symptoms seem to be muscular or located in the bones of your back
• If you experience morning stiffness in your back
• When your symptoms affect your daily activities and work-related tasks and how
• If you feel weak and fatigued
• If you experience any incontinence–bladder or bowel

Make sure you are as specific as possible when outlining your symptoms. Your accurate and detailed narrative helps the healthcare provider rule out certain conditions and concentrate on others which are more pertinent to your diagnosis.

Also, your orthopedic doctor will likely order imaging test, such as digital X-rays, an MRI or a CT scan. Bloodwork is a common test as well to rule out infection. Your orthopedic specialist will carefully evaluate your back with hands-on palpation of painful areas, assessment of your gait, strength, flexibility and range of motion and more.

With the results of these assessments, your orthopedic physician can recommend precise treatments which relieve back pain. C At Advanced Bone & Joint, our doctors do not push surgical solutions for back pain. Instead, they recommend physical therapy, bracing, injection therapies and many other inventive treatments as the first and best choices in most cases. If these treatments do not solve your back pain, only then should surgery be considered.

Back Pain Doctors in Wentzville, MO

At Advanced Bone & Joint, our board-certified and fellowship-trained physicians understand how frustrating and even debilitating back pain can be. So, they use their expert diagnostic skills to reveal the sources of discomfort so they can treat your back pain and get rid of it for good.

If you are concerned about persistent back pain, call Advanced Bone & Joint for a detailed and informative consultation at (636) 229-4222. Additionally, you can schedule your using our appointment request form. We have locations in St. Peters, O’Fallon and Wentzville, MO. We are accepting new patients and hope to see you soon!