By Frank Burns


Backache is a symptom that commonly occurs among the working population. Assuming certain postures while at work can result in alteration of spinal column anatomy. This is a common situation for office workers as they tend to sit at their desks for long hours every working day. Older people and children can also be affected albeit rarely. Such rare occurrences should be thoroughly looked into to promptly pick up any worrying conditions such as cancer. If they are faced with back pain Loveland patients need to understand a number of facts.

The back is made up of the spine, muscles together with nerves and ligaments. The lower region runs from the twelfth rib down to the crests of the pelvic bone. Discomfort can arise anywhere along the spine or the surrounding tissues. It is more common for one to complain of low back pain compared to pain of the upper back. As a matter of fact, if the upper region is affected, it us usually treated as a red flag. This means that since upper backache does not occur frequently, it is given more attention when it does occur.

As is the case for any medical condition, history taking is important in the diagnostic process. Failure to take a good history may result in misdiagnosis or inadequate management for symptoms that remain concealed. The main secret to obtaining a satisfactory history is establishing a good relationship between the patient and the doctor. If there is no tension between the two, the patient will be willing to share all the relevant details as requested by the doctor.

Stabilizing a patient who comes with an acute illness first before digging deeper goes a long way in getting the right diagnosis and definitive treatment for the individual. For instance, a patient who comes complaining of severe ongoing backache should first be given appropriate analgesic medication before they are pestered to reveal details regarding the discomfort. A doctor who uses this clearly sensible approach ends up getting useful information from their client within a short period of time.

Documentation of history begins with biodata which includes the full names of a patient, their age, where they live, what they do for a living, their marital status, among other relevant personal questions. Once this is out of the way, a good amount of time is needed to establish the characteristics of the main presenting complaint.

For pain, the patient needs to describe the onset, character, severity, and duration of the same. In addition, the site of the pain should be pointed out and whether the symptom is localized or can be felt even in distant areas. The patient should also be able to tell what activities make the symptoms worse and whether are any relieving factors.

Backache may occur in isolation or may be associated with other complaints. If the spine is involved the patient may also complain about bowel or urine incontinence. The associated symptoms are important as they give a clue on the possible underlying problem. As a patient, make sure all the important information is communicated so that such are not missed.

Primarily, the patient should be provided with analgesics to address their discomfort. Also, if the spine is suspected to be fractured, the patient should be immobilized appropriately to prevent further damage to surrounding tissues. Physiotherapy and pain medication is usually enough for pain that is solely due to muscle sprain. However, if there is another underlying cause, it should be sought and treated promptly to prevent complications.




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