Lumbago is another term for lower back pain. It can occur for many reasons, stemming from urological issues to injuries suffered in a car accident. In some cases, there is no direct cause of lumbago, but patients are still in pain and require treatment. Lower back pain is one of the primary reasons that patients visit their doctor, and treatment is different for each patient. Read on to learn more about lumbago is, what causes it, and what to do if you’re suffering from lower back pain.
Making the Diagnosis
There are myriad reasons why a patient may be suffering from lower back pain. For women, it may be a gynecological issue. Other causes include injuries, urological problems, infections, arthritis, and herniated discs. If you’re suffering from lower back pain and are planning on visiting your doctor for treatment, he or she will likely ask you a few key questions to help with the diagnosis. This, in turn, can make your treatment more effective. Your doctor will likely ask you about the type of pain you’re experiencing–is it a burning, radiating, or dull pain? Next, they will probably ask if the pain is only confined to the lower back, or if it is felt elsewhere throughout the body. Having this information will help your doctor immensely. The lower back is comprised of bones, discs, muscle and soft tissue, facet joints, and nerves, all of which can contribute to lumbago. Pinpointing the type of pain and where it is coming from can help immensely.
Undergoing Tests
Even the best doctor who is an authority on lower back pain will want to run tests to ensure that the diagnosis is as correct as possible. Besides asking the above questions, the doctor will also take a family history and perform a thorough physical examination. Laboratory and diagnostic tests that can help with lumbago diagnosis include magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), X-rays, and CT scans. These types of tests give doctors a much clearer picture regarding what is causing the pain, which makes it easier to treat it.
Lumbago Treatment
When it comes to lower back pain, no treatment is perfect, and even first-line therapies may not be effective for each individual patient. You may need to elect to have several different types of treatments until you get to the point where your pain is relieved. For some patients, physical therapy works wonders. For a very small fraction of cases, surgery will be needed. It all depends on what is causing the lumbago and from where the pain is coming. Axial back pain (also known as mechanical) is the most common type of lumbago, and it is easily managed for most patients with a mixture of rest, physical therapy, and pharmacology.
When to See a Doctor
If you have lower back pain that persists for more than several days, it’s best to see your doctor if only to improve your quality of life and to feel better more quickly. However, in some cases lower back pain can be related to a medical emergency. Back pain that presents with fever and chills, leg weakness, severe abdominal cramps, or sudden urinary incontinence should immediately be evaluated by a doctor.
As lower back pain is one of the most common reasons to visit a doctor, NewSouth NeuroSpine is well-versed in diagnosing and treating many different types of lumbago. Our caring team of professional physicians is on hand to provide you with the correct diagnosis and the best of treatment. If you’re suffering from lower back pain or have other spinal symptoms that require attention, book an appointment at NewSouth NeuroSpine. We know every patient’s case is specialized and different, and we strive to offer the best in individualized patient care.
