Living with chronic back pain is frustrating, but it can leave you feeling completely exasperated when you can’t get a definitive diagnosis. But worry not, your problems are in no way being dismissed or minimised. Here our Fareham chiropractor discloses three possible reasons why you’re yet to know the true cause of your back ache.
1: Diagnostic ambiguity
Unlike some other conditions, there is no single medical test that can provide an exact diagnosis for back pain.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that you cannot receive an accurate diagnosis; but it does mean that identifying the underlying cause of your back condition may take a variety of tests, examinations and scans.
2: Trial and error
There is usually more than one way to treat a back condition, so getting a definitive diagnosis doesn’t always dictate the correct treatment plan. Quite often, finding the treatment that works best for a patient can be a process of trial and error.
For example, some people with disc problems find that an epidural steroid injection provides great pain relief, while others find the treatment completely ineffective. With this in mind, it is important that you communicate openly with your health care provider about your symptoms and which treatments are working for you.
3. Personal experience
Pain is a very subjective experience. What may be classed as mild or moderate back pain to one person can feel severe and overwhelming to another. This often means that the same condition can require completely different kinds and levels of treatment for different people. For example, monthly chiropractic treatments may be enough to treat lower back pain for some people, while others need more frequent sessions.
Achieving an accurate clinical diagnosis for back pain is based on correlating the findings of diagnostic tests with specific symptoms and a physical examination. Many medical terms refer to radio-graphic findings seen on scans, but these tests cannot solely determine the underlying cause of back pain.
Needless to say, getting an accurate back pain diagnosis is critical to implementing the correct course of treatment.
If you are suffering back pain, our team of experienced chiropractors at Homewood Chiropractic are here to help you. You can call 01329 280 283 to make an appointment.
Our Experience Counts: 55 Years in Fareham
Serving the people of Fareham, and surrounding areas of Southampton, Portsmouth, Hampshire and the local areas of Whiteley, Hedge End, Locks Heath & Portchester
