When to Go for Surgery for Back Pain?

• Nerve root pain has not resolved after 4 weeks·       
• Sciatica has not resolved after 6 weeks·        
• There are other symptoms such as bowel andbladder problems·        
• Feelings of weakness or numbness are getting worse·        
• Your PHYSIO suspects you may have an inflamed spine·        
• You haven’t got back to normal within 3 months.

                    10 RED FLAGS FOR BACK PAIN

There are a number of signs and symptoms that will alert your physio to a specific cause of pain, so- called ‘red flags’.

These include:·        

• Your age ( if you are younger than 20 or older than 55)
•  Whether you have sustained a serious injury(e.g. road accident)
• Pain that is getting worse.       
• Pain in the upper part of your spine.        
• You have, or have had, cancer. 
• You are taking steroids.        
• You have HIV.        
• You are a recreational drug user.       
• You have lost a lot of weight.      
• You are experiencing numbness or significant weakness.

6 Diagnostic Tests Used to Determine the Cause of Back Pain

DIAGNOSTIC TESTS USED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF BACK PAIN           

TESTS 1.      

X –RAY

Advantages·        

Can usually rule out any serious diseases.·        

Shows wear and tear of the spine and broken bones.·        

Quick and painless.         

Disadvantages·        

Will not show up nerve problems.·        

Cannot be used alone to determine the cause of pain.·        

Exposure to too many x-rays can be dangerous.  

2.      Blood tests

Advantages·        

Can be used to determine very specific causes of pain (e.g. infection, tumours , arthritic diseases)

Disadvantages·        

Only detect very specific causes of pain.·         

Results must be confirmed by other Tests.      

3. CT scanning

Advantages·        

Quick and painless.·        

Can be used to rule out serious diseases.         

Disadvantages·        

Increasingly replaced by MRI scanning.·       

 Exposure to too many X-rays can be dangerous. 

4.     MRI scanning

Advantages·        

The most advanced type of scan.·        

Quick and painless.·        

Gives high quality images of bone and surrounding tissues.·        

Can be used to rule out serious diseases.·        

Radiowaves are ‘safer’ than X rays.    

Disadvantages·        

Waiting lists can be long.  

5. Myelography 

Advantages·        

Can pinpoint exact causes of back pain. 

Disadvantages·        

Injection of dye can be uncomfortable.·        

More complicated than CT and MRI scans.·        

Exposure to too many X rays can be dangerous.·        

Arachnoiditis (painful inflammation of thespinal cord) is a rare side-effect. 

6.       Discography 

Advantages·        

Can pinpoint exact causes of back pain.

Disadvantages·       

 Injection of dye can be uncomfortable.·       

 More complicated than CT and MRI scans.·       

Exposure to too many X rays can be dangerous.   

Even after performing these tests, it may still be unclear why you are in pain. This does not mean that nothing can be done to ease the pain and make it easier to live with.

Your doctor- in consultation with their colleagues and most importantly with you-will be able to put together a personal pain management plan to help you to control your pain.