It is a very common disease that everyone experiences at least once in their lifetime. Various causes and conditions such as: disc problems, intervertebral ligaments, muscle spasms, wear and tear of intervertebral joints (facet), malignancies, vertebral fractures, osteoporosis and rheumatic diseases, etc.
When does back pain need further follow-up? 1. Not responding to common treatments and chronic pain (more than three months)
2. Occurrence of symptoms such as muscle weakness, numbness of the limbs, shooting pains in the limbs, deviation in the spine, weight loss, night pains, excessive and abnormal dryness in the spine, etc.
What follow-ups may be needed? Simple radiology of the vertebral column can be the most accessible paraclinical examination that can provide us with valuable information about the general vertebral column, especially the bone tissue.
Various tests such as rheumatological tests or investigation of inflammatory markers as well as elements from bone metabolism can be another part of the follow-up.
MRI is also very valuable in cases where we want to examine the soft tissue of the vertebral column, such as the disc and contents of the spinal canal, or to examine malignancies and metastases.
Osteoporosis examination may also be considered according to the patient's age.
Performing a nerve and muscle tape (EMG and NCS) may also be requested in cases where back pain is accompanied by shooting pains in the limbs or numbness and tingling.
Treatment: Some of the back pains, which are often classified under the mechanical category, are often treated by taking drugs such as NSAIDs and muscle relaxants, rest or a short period of physical therapy and appropriate exercises, and follow-ups such as They don't have MRI or radiography.In case of non-response to common treatments, appropriate treatment options are considered according to physical examinations and paraclinical results such as tests and imaging results. Spine intervention treatments at this stage and in patients who are not candidates for surgery and whose laboratory findings are reported to be normal, can help to treat and control the patient's pain. Treatments such as facet intervertebral joint injection or sacroiliac joint (SI) or disc intervention or epidural nerve blocks with drug injection or radiofrequency waves and...
Author: Dr. Hossein Arjamand