Back Pain

Back pain is a common complaint. In the vast majority of cases, however, back pain resolves itself without significant medical assistance.

Resting can be helpful, but studies have shown that too much rest may actually be counterproductive, allowing muscles to weaken, which can lead to back pain in the future.

Types of Back Pain

Back pain typically falls into two categories:

• Acute – pain that comes on suddenly and persists for up to three months.
• Chronic – pain that develops over a longer period, continues for over three months, and causes long-term problems.

Diagnosis

A thorough history and physical is an essential first step to diagnosing back pain.

This will often lead to further testing, depending on what Dr. Ghermay suspects is the cause of your pain. Imaging with MRI and/or CT scanning offers the most detailed imaging. A myelogram, in which dye is injected into a spinal canal, can define certain abnormalities and nerve conduction studies may help in assessing nerve involvement and injury.