How to Diagnose Back Pain

Back pain is one of the most wide-spread medical complaints. Most people will recover from back pain without surgery or prescription drugs. It is imperative, however, to diagnose back pain correctly in order to make sure it is not symptomatic of a more serious problem and to prevent further injury. A correct diagnosis will also ensure more effective treatment options.

Things You'll Need

• EMG
• Bone scan
• Urinalysis
• Blood work
• Spinal tap
• X-ray

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Instructions

Diagnose Back Pain Effectively

• 1

  Analyze your physical activities. Back strains and sprains occurring during normal physical pursuits are many times easily diagnosed by the sufferer, generally are of short duration and often do not require a doctor's care.

• 2

  Remember that, for women, menstrual cycles, diseases of the reproductive organs and pregnancy can be sources of back pain.

• 3

  See a doctor immediately for a diagnosis if, in addition to back pain, you have blood in your urine or stools, loss of bowel or bladder control, abdominal pain or fever.

• 4

  Consult a doctor to diagnose back pain which is unremitting. You should also go in for sporadic pain that lasts for more than 72 hours.

• 5

  Submit to a standard battery of tests, including blood work and a urinalysis to begin diagnosing back pain.

• 6

  Expect to give your doctor a complete medical history. A family medical history, as well as a discussion of current personally stressful situations, may also be pertinent for a proper diagnosis.

• 7

  Submit to further diagnostic testing as suggested by your doctor. Indications for further testing may include severe, ongoing pain, pain accompanied by impaired bowel function, weakness, numbness and pain radiating through the extremities. People over the age of 50, those with family histories of cancer and/or osteoporosis or those who have used steroids are also candidates for further testing.

• 8

  Measure nerve and muscle response through electromyography (EMG). EMGs are often used to look for herniated disks or to check for narrowing of the spinal passageway (spinal stenosis).

• 9

  Look for osteoporosis or tumors by employing a bone scan.

• 10

  Find soft tissue damage through Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Among other problems MRIs are used to look for herniated disks and other disk abnormalities, joint enlargement and problems with ligaments and nerves.

• 11

  Check for infection via a spinal tap. Spinal taps are samplings of the fluid surrounding the spinal cord. Pus, blood or high levels of protein in the fluid can indicate infection or spinal disease.

• 12

  X-rays are used to diagnose spinal fractures or broken bones. X-rays are also used to check the alignment of the spine and look for degenerative diseases of the joints.