Back and neck pain is the experience of striking unpleasant sensation in the regions of your neck, lumbar and thoracic areas.
Almost 80 percent of the working population is known to experience spine and back pain at some point in their lives.
Back and neck pain are generally experienced by patients who are overweight, lack exercise or do too much of it, have osteoporosis, experience extreme levels of stress, and other factors.
The exact cause of back and neck pain is hard to determine as there may be several factors contributing to the pain. Reasons can include:
Symptoms related to back pain:
Symptoms related to neck pain:
Acute back or neck pain may be the result of an injury and would fade away sooner than chronic pain. In case it lasts for more than six weeks, it is vital to seek medical attention, immediately.
Visiting a health care provider for a medical and physical exam can help diagnose the cause for your neck and back pain. A series of tests in the form of EMG/NCS, CT Scans, MRI or X-rays would be conducted during the examination.
Patients may be referred to a neurologist for the evaluation of the cervical (neck), thoracic (back) or lumbar (lower back) areas.
A thorough evaluation would help understand whether complaints of pain are associated with cervical, thoracic or lumbar radiculopathy (pinched nerves).
An electromyography/nerve conduction consists of two parts that involve an evaluation of peripheral nerves, and muscles in the limbs or the spine. The assessment of peripheral nerves is done by sending electrical impulses through those nerves. Examination of the muscles is done by placing a small needle electrode into the muscles to understand the muscular activity.
This test would help determine whether the nerve issue had arisen in the limb or a pinched nerve from the spine. It can also provide complex information in deciding whether a cervical or lumbar surgery would be required.
MRI/X-rays studies help demonstrate the structure and form of the cervical, thoracic, or lumbar spine to conclude the reason behind the pinched nerve and to evaluate for other sources of pain.
Spinal stenosis is a spine-related neurological condition that affects the cervical, thoracic, or lumbar spine. Cervical spinal stenosis is known to compress the region of the spinal cord in the neck and lead symptoms of pain in both the arms and legs. An EMG/NCS, CT scan or MRI scan can help evaluate spinal stenosis.
Most cases of back and neck pain are self-treatable. Over-the-counter medicines such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen are prescribed for pain relief when they don't subside in one-two days.
Chronic pain in the back and neck can be treated with:
A series of neurodiagnostic testing will help determine the cause and type of treatment for the pain.
In case your condition prolongs, it is wise to seek medical help with no delay. Visit our practice in San Jose for further assistance with your condition. Call us today to request an appointment at (669) 235-4188.
