Diagnosing and Managing Chronic Back Pain
At The Pain Center of Arizona, we treat a lot of different forms of chronic pain and help many patients get back into the game of life. While we spend a lot of time with joint pain and arthritis, chronic back pain is one of the top concerns of our patients. Back pain is complicated, but as always pain relief and management comes after an accurate diagnosis, which is where we'll start.
Diagnosis can include everything from x-rays, CT scans, MRI scans, and good-old-fashioned conversations with your pain specialist. An x-ray could be used to provide the detailed image of the bone structures to check for instability in the spine, tumors and fractures. A CT scan will check for specific conditions such as herniated disks, and an MRI scan will go as deep as the nerve roots.
While making a diagnosis, your Arizona pain specialist will run you through a multitude of tests not mentioned above as well. He will probably test your range of motion and nerve function, touching different trigger points in your back to discover the areas of your back that are more sensitive than others. Your physician might also run some reflex and sensation tests, as well as abdominal or pelvic exams.
Your Arizona pain specialist might also request blood and urine tests to rule out any infections that might be causing your back pain. A thorough medical history will be conducted as well to determine if there is any chronic pain in you or your family's background.
As mentioned, the first step to treating and managing your chronic back pain is to accurately diagnose it. Its one thing if your back pain is the result of an infection, and it's quite another if the back pain is due to a herniated disk or pinched nerve. Every option must be tested and ruled out in order to manage the pain effectively.
The ultimate goal of any pain management plan with The Pain Center of Arizona is to get you back into the game of life. Getting you active and enjoying life again is our number one priority. This involves pain relief and restored movement of the affected areas. Long gone are the days when your physician would tell you to lie in bed for a few days and rest off the pain. In fact, according to WebMD, this form of treatment can slow down your recovery rate and potentially cause new problems.
Depending on your condition, your pain specialist will probably recommend that you begin controlled exercise or physical therapy. These two pain relief treatments are essential to rebuilding muscle around the affected area, as well as increase your range of motion and loosen the injured ligaments.
Physical therapy might include massage, light yoga, ultrasound, whirlpool baths, applications of heat, and electronic devices to stimulate the nerves and muscles. Exercise will be recommended to strengthen the areas around your spine to take pressure off of your injury and stabilize the area. Learning to maintain good posture, how to properly carry heavy items, and how to properly bend down is also helpful.
If your condition does not allow for you to do the above mentioned, your pain specialist might recommend prescription medication or even surgery. Anti-depression medications have also been proven to affect nerves and relieve back pain.
At The Pan Center of Arizona, nerve stimulators are used in extreme cases of back pain to relieve symptoms. This form of therapy is not painful, and has also been proven to affect the nerves and mask pain.
Back pain specialists will many times bring in a team of experts to diagnose and treat your pain. A chiropractor could play a substantial role in your recovery with spinal manipulation techniques. Acupuncture can bring moderate to complete back pain relief for many and can be combined with other treatments from your Arizona pain specialist team.
Finally, the best pain relief technique that you can practice is a healthy lifestyle. Preventing the pain before it ensues is truly the best thing that you can do. Exercise regularly to keep the muscles around the spine strong. This will always help to stabilize the spine and keep it from taking on too much pressure. Learn how to properly bend over and pick up large items so that you are not putting pressure on your back. Like with any other form of chronic pain, remaining active is the ultimate goal.
Diagnosis can include everything from x-rays, CT scans, MRI scans, and good-old-fashioned conversations with your pain specialist. An x-ray could be used to provide the detailed image of the bone structures to check for instability in the spine, tumors and fractures. A CT scan will check for specific conditions such as herniated disks, and an MRI scan will go as deep as the nerve roots.
While making a diagnosis, your Arizona pain specialist will run you through a multitude of tests not mentioned above as well. He will probably test your range of motion and nerve function, touching different trigger points in your back to discover the areas of your back that are more sensitive than others. Your physician might also run some reflex and sensation tests, as well as abdominal or pelvic exams.
Your Arizona pain specialist might also request blood and urine tests to rule out any infections that might be causing your back pain. A thorough medical history will be conducted as well to determine if there is any chronic pain in you or your family's background.
As mentioned, the first step to treating and managing your chronic back pain is to accurately diagnose it. Its one thing if your back pain is the result of an infection, and it's quite another if the back pain is due to a herniated disk or pinched nerve. Every option must be tested and ruled out in order to manage the pain effectively.
The ultimate goal of any pain management plan with The Pain Center of Arizona is to get you back into the game of life. Getting you active and enjoying life again is our number one priority. This involves pain relief and restored movement of the affected areas. Long gone are the days when your physician would tell you to lie in bed for a few days and rest off the pain. In fact, according to WebMD, this form of treatment can slow down your recovery rate and potentially cause new problems.
Depending on your condition, your pain specialist will probably recommend that you begin controlled exercise or physical therapy. These two pain relief treatments are essential to rebuilding muscle around the affected area, as well as increase your range of motion and loosen the injured ligaments.
Physical therapy might include massage, light yoga, ultrasound, whirlpool baths, applications of heat, and electronic devices to stimulate the nerves and muscles. Exercise will be recommended to strengthen the areas around your spine to take pressure off of your injury and stabilize the area. Learning to maintain good posture, how to properly carry heavy items, and how to properly bend down is also helpful.
If your condition does not allow for you to do the above mentioned, your pain specialist might recommend prescription medication or even surgery. Anti-depression medications have also been proven to affect nerves and relieve back pain.
At The Pan Center of Arizona, nerve stimulators are used in extreme cases of back pain to relieve symptoms. This form of therapy is not painful, and has also been proven to affect the nerves and mask pain.
Back pain specialists will many times bring in a team of experts to diagnose and treat your pain. A chiropractor could play a substantial role in your recovery with spinal manipulation techniques. Acupuncture can bring moderate to complete back pain relief for many and can be combined with other treatments from your Arizona pain specialist team.
Finally, the best pain relief technique that you can practice is a healthy lifestyle. Preventing the pain before it ensues is truly the best thing that you can do. Exercise regularly to keep the muscles around the spine strong. This will always help to stabilize the spine and keep it from taking on too much pressure. Learn how to properly bend over and pick up large items so that you are not putting pressure on your back. Like with any other form of chronic pain, remaining active is the ultimate goal.
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