The problem of back pain makes it difficult for people to attend their regular work. It is also a major cause of disability among people of the whole world. However, there are effective treatment options for back pain.

The range of the back pain can be from a muscle ache to a stabbing, shooting or burning sensation. When you twist, bend, lift anything heavy or walk, this pain may worsen. You need to consult a specialist attached to a doctor chamber in Uttarpara if your back pain:

  • Continues for a few weeks
  • Doesn’t improve even if you rest and also becomes severe
  • Spreads down one or both legs, especially below the knee
  • Causes numbness, weakness or tingling in one or both legs
  • Is present with other physical complications

Causes

There can be different causes behind back pain. These include:

  • Muscle or ligament strain: There can be a strain in your back muscles or spinal ligaments due to sudden awkward movement or frequently lifting heavy objects.
  • Bulging or ruptured disks: Between the bones (vertebrae) in your spine, disks act as cushions. When the soft material inside the disk bulges or ruptures, it puts pressure on a nerve.
  • Arthritis: There can be adverse effects of osteoarthritis on the lower back. The space around the spinal cord can become narrow due to arthritis in the spine. This condition is known as spinal stenosis.
  • Osteoporosis: If your bones become porous and brittle, your spine’s vertebrae can develop painful fractures.

Diagnosis

The doctor will assess your ability to sit, stand, walk and lift your legs after examining your back. He/she will also ask you about the intensity of your pain and how it is affecting your regular activities.

You need to undergo some tests, for which you can visit a diagnostic centre in Hooghly. These tests include:

  • X-ray: The doctor can know whether you have arthritis or broken bones through X-ray images.
  • MRI or CT scans: It is possible to detect problems with muscles, bones, tendons, tissues, ligaments, nerves and blood vessels and whether there are herniated disks from MRI or CT scan images.
  • Blood tests: The detection of an infection or other conditions behind the pain is possible through these tests.
  • Bone scan: This test helps the doctor to find the presence of bone tumours or whether osteoporosis is causing compression fractures.
  • Nerve studies: If herniated disks or the narrowing of your spinal canal cause nerve compression, electromyography (EMG) helps to reveal it.

Treatment

The best doctor in Hooghly suggests different treatment options for back pain. He/she may prescribe medications to give you relief from the pain. Physical therapy helps to strengthen your back and abdominal muscles, increase the flexibility of your body and improve your posture. Radiofrequency neurotomy, cortisone injections, implanted nerve stimulators and surgery are other effective treatment options.