Back Pain
It is very difficult to get used to any kind of pain, especially a pain as crippling as chronic lower back pain. Back pain can result from a simple muscle pull to an injury or fall. Many times, it will resolve itself in two to four weeks, with ample rest and heating or cooling therapy. But several people experience incessant and chronic back pain that numbs them and causes them to alter their lifestyle according to the demands of the aches and pains.
Symptoms
- Muscle ache
- Stabbing or shooting pain in the middle or lower back
- Inability to stand or sit for a long time
- Tense back muscles that spasm
- Radiating pain down the leg(s)
Causes
- Muscle strain
- Spinal or disc problems
- Arthritic pain
- Degenerative disc disease
- Spinal stenosis
Diagnosis
- X-rays
- Magnetic resonance imaging
- Computerized tomography scan
- Nerve studies - Electromyography
- Discography
Sciatica Pain
Sciatica pain is the chronic pain in the lower lumbar and lumbosacral spine. Sciatica pain radiates along the path of the sciatica nerve. It starts from the lower back to the hips and buttocks and radiates to the legs. Sciatica most commonly occurs when a herniated disk or a bone spur on the spine compresses part of the nerve. This causes inflammation, pain and often some numbness in the affected leg.
Symptoms
- Pain in the rear leg
- Burning and tingling down the leg
- Shooting pain making it difficult to stand
- Trouble controlling bowels or bladder control
- Numbness in the leg(s)
Causes
- Herniated disc
- Overgrown bone in the vertebrae
- Nerve damage by tumor
- Spinal stenosis
- Piriformis syndrome
Diagnosis
- Detailed medical history
- Physical examination
- X-rays
- Magnetic resonance imaging
- Neurological testing
