Back pain can be treated with physical therapy, medication, and home care methods, but you might need professional help when the pain worsens or persists. Dr. Robert Ayer in Bethlehem is one of the highly skilled neurosurgeons at Apex spines, who provides expert services to the treatment of back pain.
Causes of back pain
Back pain develops without a cause; your doctor can identify with an imaginary study or a test. Conditions linked to back pain include:
Muscle or ligament strain. Sudden awkward movement or repeated heavy lifting can strain spinal ligaments and back muscles. If you are in an impaired physical condition, the constant strain on your back causes painful muscles.
Bulging or ruptured disks. Disks act as pillows between vertebrates in your spine. The materials in a disk can rupture or bulge and press on a nerve. You can have a ruptured or bulging disk without back pain.
Arthritis. Osteoarthritis affects the lower back. In most cases, arthritis in the spine leads to narrowing space around the spinal cord, a condition known as spinal stenosis.
Diagnosis
A doctor can diagnose back pain after enquiring about symptoms and having to carry out a physical examination. Scanning and other tests may be required if back pain results from an injury, or the pain persists over a long period there may be other causes that need treatment.
An X-ray, CT scan, or MRI can provide information about the soft tissue condition in the back.
X-rays show the bones’ alignments and detect signs of broken bones or arthritis, but may not reveal damage in the spinal cord, muscles, disks, or nerves.
MRI or CT scans reveal tissue, nerves, tendons, blood vessels, bones, ligaments, and muscles.
Bone scans. They detect compression fractures, bone tumors caused by osteoporosis. A tracer or radioactive substance is injected into the vein. The tracer accumulates in the bones helping the doctors to detect bone problems with the help of a particular camera.
How to prevent back pain
Carry less—heavy laptop bags, briefcases, purses, and suitcases can add unnecessary strain and stress to your spine and neck. Try to reduce what you carry and use bags that distribute the weight evenly, such as a backpack. If you have a bag with wheels, you can use it to keep weight off your back.
Work your core. The muscles around and in the abdomen and your back help keep you straight and carry you through physical activities. Strengthening them reduces the chances of strain, pain, or damage to your back. Carry out strength-training workouts having a core focus in your regular fitness at least thrice a week.
Improve your posture. Poor posture can cause unnecessary strain and pressure on your spine. With time this can lead to damage and pain. Remind yourself regularly to sit upright in your chair and roll back rounded shoulders.
Stretch often. Doing the same thing every time can leave your muscles tired and quicker to strain. Stretch your body regularly to help circulation in the muscles and reduce the risk of back pain and damage.
Advanced technology and new approaches to spine surgery help surgeons perform minimally invasive procedures in most cases. This means shorter recovery, less pain, fewer risks compared to open surgery, and minimal scarring. If you want to eliminate back pain, book an appointment with Apex Spine and Neurosurgery today.
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