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What Causes Severe Back Pain?
Question: Severe Back Ache since last six month. Constant ache. Had Flexura D/ Tegrital/ Shelcal. No know allergies.
Brief Answer:
Going to need more information.
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXXXXX Thanks for coming to HealthCareMagic. There are unfortunately many many causes of Back pain. So to try and make our discussion useful to you and narrow down the possibilities I would like you to try and answer the following questions to the best of your knowledge. The more information you can give me the more useful I can be to you.
1. How did the pain start? When did it start? Was it sudden or gradual?
2. Does the pain have a pattern? For instance its it worse in the morning and gets better through the day?
3. Can you describe where in the back the pain starts? Does it move to other places or does it stay in one place?
4. When you bend forward or backward, does the pain change in any way?
5. What brings on or increases your pain and what makes you feel better? This includes whether you feel better with activity or with rest.
6. Do you have any related symptoms, such as leg pain, weakness, or numbness; or problems with your bowels or bladder.
7. Do you know if you have had any spine problems since birth (congenital spine problems).
8. Have you ever been diagnosed with any type of arthritis?
9. Have you ever injured your back?
10. Last but certainly not least, do you smoke?
If you can answer these questions for me, it will go a long way to figuring out what is going on and helping me work with you on a plan to deal with this pain.
Hope this helps,
Vinay
Going to need more information.
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXXXXX Thanks for coming to HealthCareMagic. There are unfortunately many many causes of Back pain. So to try and make our discussion useful to you and narrow down the possibilities I would like you to try and answer the following questions to the best of your knowledge. The more information you can give me the more useful I can be to you.
1. How did the pain start? When did it start? Was it sudden or gradual?
2. Does the pain have a pattern? For instance its it worse in the morning and gets better through the day?
3. Can you describe where in the back the pain starts? Does it move to other places or does it stay in one place?
4. When you bend forward or backward, does the pain change in any way?
5. What brings on or increases your pain and what makes you feel better? This includes whether you feel better with activity or with rest.
6. Do you have any related symptoms, such as leg pain, weakness, or numbness; or problems with your bowels or bladder.
7. Do you know if you have had any spine problems since birth (congenital spine problems).
8. Have you ever been diagnosed with any type of arthritis?
9. Have you ever injured your back?
10. Last but certainly not least, do you smoke?
If you can answer these questions for me, it will go a long way to figuring out what is going on and helping me work with you on a plan to deal with this pain.
Hope this helps,
Vinay
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
1. Earlier i used to get back ache once in a while..however frm last six month its consistent in lower back.. Dominantly on right side.. Pain in non radiating.. I hv a 10hr sitting job n need to carry my laptop everyday while travelling my metro/walking.. I dnt smoke.. Dnt hv any congenital back problem.pain does not change in bending or move forward bt increases on.prolonged standing.pain is persistent n consistent throughout the day..
Brief Answer:
That helped,
Detailed Answer:
Ok, based on what you have told me I am beginning to think that you may have developed some arthritis in the joints of the spine in the lower back. it's a common problem no doubt. The best way of confirming the issue is an MRI.. but i tend to think that is an unnecessarily expensive and time consuming procedure at this juncture.
I would like to propose the following. A course of medication, back support, exercise and weight loss over the next 6 weeks to try and control the pain. If this does not help then it may be that we need to opt for X-rays and an MRI.
1. Assuming that you are healthy enough to exercise, I want you to approach a good physical therapist, give them your history and ask them to teach you a set of 'Core strengthening exercises'. These are exercises that you can do at home on your own time that will strengthen the muscles of the back and abdomen and take tension of the the joints between your spine.
2. I want you to go to a surgical supply store and buy a 'Lumbar support' that fits you properly.. They are not really all the fashionable i know.. but you can wear them around the house and they will minimize the movements in the lower back and give you great relief while you go about your daily business. Try and wear it around the house at least.
3. Use Over the counter pain medication sparingly for treating pain that you cannot ignore. If your kidneys and liver are in good health I recommend 200mg of Brufen or 650mg of Dolo for pain.
4. If possible i would like you to lose 10% of your body weight over the next 6 weeks. If you weight 60kgs, lose 6. If you feel you are already too skinny.. then ignore this.. but remember over 60% of people who are overweight and have backpain notice an immediate improvement if they lose just 10% body weight.
Let me know what you think of the above recommendations.
Vinay
That helped,
Detailed Answer:
Ok, based on what you have told me I am beginning to think that you may have developed some arthritis in the joints of the spine in the lower back. it's a common problem no doubt. The best way of confirming the issue is an MRI.. but i tend to think that is an unnecessarily expensive and time consuming procedure at this juncture.
I would like to propose the following. A course of medication, back support, exercise and weight loss over the next 6 weeks to try and control the pain. If this does not help then it may be that we need to opt for X-rays and an MRI.
1. Assuming that you are healthy enough to exercise, I want you to approach a good physical therapist, give them your history and ask them to teach you a set of 'Core strengthening exercises'. These are exercises that you can do at home on your own time that will strengthen the muscles of the back and abdomen and take tension of the the joints between your spine.
2. I want you to go to a surgical supply store and buy a 'Lumbar support' that fits you properly.. They are not really all the fashionable i know.. but you can wear them around the house and they will minimize the movements in the lower back and give you great relief while you go about your daily business. Try and wear it around the house at least.
3. Use Over the counter pain medication sparingly for treating pain that you cannot ignore. If your kidneys and liver are in good health I recommend 200mg of Brufen or 650mg of Dolo for pain.
4. If possible i would like you to lose 10% of your body weight over the next 6 weeks. If you weight 60kgs, lose 6. If you feel you are already too skinny.. then ignore this.. but remember over 60% of people who are overweight and have backpain notice an immediate improvement if they lose just 10% body weight.
Let me know what you think of the above recommendations.
Vinay
Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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