Low Back Pain
Low back pain is one of the most common medical conditions. Most of us have experienced, are experiencing or will experience low back pain at some point during our lives. There are many reasons for pain in the lower back, and these include muscle pain, joint pain, nerve compression pain (usually by bulged inter-vertebral discs) and other conditions. Rarely, low back pain can be a consequence of a serious disease like a tumor, an inflammation, an infection or a fracture.
The duration of pain is usually limited to a few days or weeks, and then it is regarded as ‘acute pain’. In a minority of patients, pain persists more than 3 months, and then it is considered to be ‘chronic pain’.
What is the Treatment of Low Back Pain
At the pain clinic, we first try to diagnose the type of pain and its sources. We also try to evaluate the presence of conditions like depression, anxiety and sleep disorders that prevent pain from healing. When pain is chronic, usually more than one treatment modality is needed to treat it. These modalities often include physical therapy, medications, interventional procedures (like blocks) and psychological support.
