QUESTION: I am a long time sufferer with a condition that I have been told is considered to be a chronic low back problem.
I get into trouble about once a year, and take several weeks to recover completely.
What are the chances that I really have a disk problem, and that my only hope is surgery? I am not looking for an unnecessary operation, but I would like to be rid of this problem once and for all time.
Do you have any statistics that might be of some help?
ANSWER: Low back problems are certainly not uncommon, with an estimated 80 percent of the adult population having this distressing experience at some point in their lives.
However, most back pain is not caused by a herniated disk, and even when it is, conservative treatment can bring relief to most patients.
Making a diagnosis of a mechanical cause of low back pain, such as degenerative changes and herniated disks is not always easy, and the exact cause of the problem is not always determined.
That is why other clues are used to determine the nature and course of treatment.
The first sign that a low back pain may be caused by a disk problem is usually the presence of sciatica, where pain is felt along the course of the sciatic nerve, down the back of the leg.
Sometimes there have been several episodes of back pain preceding the development of this complaint.
Thus a complete history and careful physical examination are the first avenues for the investigation of low back problems.
Many experts believe that conservative treatment, including pain medication, rest, muscle relaxants, and appropriate exercise, should be tried first before moving on to more intense evaluation and treatment.
When conservative treatments fail and pain remains unrelieved after 4 to 6 weeks of therapy, or when there is progressive weakness and numbness in the leg, or neurological examinations discover changes in function of nerves and muscles, the status, it is time to utilize the advantages found in such testing procedures as C-T scan, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) or myelography (x-ray techniques which reveal the status of the spinal cord).
It is only after these have been completed that surgical procedures are considered in appropriate cases.
The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace the counsel and advice of your personal physician.
Promptly consulting your doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical problem.
