Neuro Spine Care

LOWER BACK CARE

Lower Back pain is one among the foremost complaints while patients reach out to our spine specialist at Adam Vital Hospital. The increase in intensity of this pain may lead to temporary disability.

Measures can be taken to prevent or relieve most back pain. If prevention fails, simple home remedies and physio care can help in effective and faster back pain recovery. Surgery is rarely an option for treating Lower Back pain.

SYMPTOMS

Muscle aching and shooting.
Stinging and burning sensation
Radiation of pain towards the lower part of the body, i.e., legs and feet
Muscle spasm and tightness
Difficulty in standing, walking and sitting

CAUSES

There are several factors which contribute the development of back pain. Following are some of them:

Aging : Back pain is more common in the older population, starting around age 30 or 40 as it develops over time with decreased bone and muscle strength.
Lack of exercise : Weak, unused muscles in your back and abdomen might lead to back pain.
Excess weight : Excess body weight puts extra stress on your back.
Diseases : Osteoporosis, types of arthritis and cancer can contribute to back pain.
Improper lifting : Using your back instead of your legs can lead to back pain.
Psychological conditions : People prone to depression or anxiety are at greater risk of developing back pain.
Smoking :Smoking prompts coughing, leading to herniated disks. Smoking can also decrease blood flow to the spine and increase the risk of osteoporosis.

WHEN DO YOU NEED TO SEE A DOCTOR︖

Most Back pain gradually improves with home remedies and self-care. You need to see a doctor if the pain worsens with time and hinders in daily activities. If you feel weakness, numbness, and tingling sensation in your legs or observe an unexplainable weight loss, resting is no longer helpful, and you must seek immediate care. Bowel or bladder problems and fever is observed in some rare cases.

DIAGNOSIS

The doctor will examine your back and assess your ability to sit, stand, walk and lift your legs. If there is reason to suspect that a specific condition is causing your back pain, your doctor might prescribe one or more tests :

X-ray : These images help the doctor for having a clear look at the bones and area of injury.
MRI or CT scans : These scans generate images that can reveal herniated disks or problems with bones, muscles, tissue, tendons, nerves, ligaments and blood vessels.
Blood tests : These can help determine of any kind of infection that is worsening the back pain.
Bone scan : In rare cases, your doctor might use a bone scan to look for bone tumors or compression fractures caused by osteoporosis.
Nerve studies : Electromyography (EMG) measures the electrical impulses produced by the nerves and the responses of your muscles. This test can confirm nerve compression caused by herniated disks or narrowing of your spinal canal (spinal stenosis).

TREATMENT

Most back pain gets better within a month of home treatment and does not require surgery. If home treatments aren't working after several weeks, your doctor might suggest stronger medications or other therapies.

Medications :

Depending on the type of back pain you have, your doctor might prescribe the following :

Over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers : Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen or naproxen sodium may help relieve back pain.
Muscle relaxants : If mild to moderate back pain doesn't improve with OTC pain relievers, the doctor may also prescribe a muscle relaxant. Muscle relaxants can make you dizzy and sleepy.
Topical pain relievers : These products deliver pain-relieving substances through your skin via creams, salves, ointments or patches.
Antidepressants : Some types of antidepressants — particularly duloxetine and tricyclic antidepressants, have been effective for relieving chronic back pain

Physical Therapy :

A physical therapist helps you in increasing back flexibility and strength for improving posture. Regular use of these techniques can help keep pain from returning.

Lower Back Surgery :

If you have unrelenting pain associated with radiating leg pain or progressive muscle weakness caused by nerve compression, you might benefit from surgery. These procedures are usually reserved for pain related to structural problems, such as spinal stenosis or a herniated disk

Some other procedures to treat Lower Back pain includes :

Cortisone injections: These are strong anti-inflammatory drugs. Administration of cortisone decreases inflammation around the nerve roots, effects last only a month or two.
Radiofrequency neurotomy: In this procedure, a fine needle is inserted through your skin so the tip is near the area causing your pain. Radio waves passed through the needle damages the nearby nerves, inferring with the delivery of pain signals to the brain.
Implanted nerve stimulators: Devices implanted under your skin can deliver electrical impulses to certain nerves to block pain signals.

Adam Vital Hospital, we have the best team of Orthopaedic surgeons who will help you in understanding the cause of the Lower Back pain and provide you with choices of treatment. We are among the best orthopaedic hospitals in Dubai providing treatment for all kinds of injuries and make you enjoy an active life.