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Suggest Treatment For Acute Pain In Lower Back

Posted on Mon, 25 May 2015

Question: Hi Doctor,

Please see my mother's medical history as stated in the link. She is taking levofloxacin for the last two months. The issue is that she is suffering from acute pain in the lower back. She cannot move at all. She is taking Calpol 650 mg is drive away the pain but it is coming back again. Also she cannot move her hands easily as the pain is there also. What to do?

Thanks and Regards,
XXXX

Answered by Dr. Divakara (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Could be due to Muscle spasm.

Detailed Answer:
Hi

Greetings from Dr.Divakara. P

I do remember your previous query but went through your mother's history.

What is confusing is in the past discussion you had mentioned that she was taking Ofloxacin but now you are telling she is taking Levofloxacin. Is this a mistake or what ?

Is she taking Levofloxacin for Tuberculosis only or was it given for something else. Kindly let me know these details.

Coming to your query , low back pain could be due to many reasons from simple muscle spasm to Disc prolapse.

I need more information on her back pain.

1. Since how long its been there ? ( I know that acute means recent but still how long )

2. Did it start all of a sudden or gradually built up?

3. Is the pain localised to lower back or is there any radiation of pain to buttocks or thighs or legs ?

4. Pain in hands is localised to joints or whole of hands?

Kindly let me know these details for further discussions.

Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Divakara (12 minutes later)

Hi Doctor,

1) She is taking Levofloxacin for the last two months. The Medicine Specilaist told that quionol group medicines dont work for more than 4 months. So he changed it. He tried with moxifloxacin but it led to issues with the eyes.

2) It started suddenly on last Thursday morning.

3) The pain appears to be localised to the right of the back on the lower side.

4) Pain is not spreading to her whole hand. Only from elbow up the pain is there. The issue was she moved her hand suddenly which led to a pain. It is still there at a point in the arm but not severe.

Please note:- She is telling that she feels that both the pain in her hands and back are quite similar to nature.

It 11 month of her TB drugs.

I am extremely afraid whether the TB is relapsing again or not. As she is only on Rifamcin and Levofloxacin.

Thanks and Regards,
XXXX

Answered by Dr. Divakara (4 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Unlikely to be due to TB.

Detailed Answer:
HI

Thanks for the information.

It is very unlikely for the TB to cause acute attack of back pain or hand pain,

Either it is due to Muscular spasm, Viral infection or Disc Prolapse.

Among these two Muscular spasm and Viral infection are simple conditions and will go off in few days . But if it is a disc prolapse then she has to get a MRI Scan to know the severity of prolapse as treatment depends on the severity.

I would recommend her to use muscle relaxants like Zerodol-MR ( get a prescription from a doctor ) bed rest for 2 days and after than no heavy physical activities and no bending down or lifting weight.

Observe for 5-6 days , if there is significant improvement in her back pain then no need for any scanning, but if not then she needs to get MRI Scan of her Lumbar Spine to check for Disc prolapse.

If in case she is having Fever then get Complete Hemogram, CRP also .

Hope this information was useful to you.
Any clarifications feel free to ask .

Regards.

Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar