Tired of trying to figure out your low back pain on your own? It is sometimes hard to admit when we need help. But when you are not able to solve the problem on your own, you need to raise your hand and ask for help.
Low back pain is all too common. Studies indicate approximately 80% of people will experience a low back pain episode at least once in their life. Of that 80%, the likelihood of recurrence is more than half.
But does it have to be this way? I hope to bring your mind’s eye through the lens of the clinician to help you become an effective communicator and help your own health care team help your problem. A clinician is only as good as their history taking and physical examination. My ability to diagnose and treat you hinges on my ability to ask the right questions in addition to receiving accurate data from you.
I will help guide you through some basic questions you may be asked about your pain. My hope is that you will learn how to provide your clinician with the most pertinent information, but also give you the power to question next steps in treatment if you feel you are not receiving adequate care.
For low back pain, your history matters – but not every single detail is necessary. If you are dealing with a flare up, or pain has been gradually worsening, most clinicians do not need to have you recount every episode of back pain you have had since you were young. Most history is irrelevant if it is more than 1-3 years old. The caveat is if you have had a specific diagnosis that has required previous treatment beyond self management and physical therapy.
Rather, what matters is the back pain that has been occurring over the past 1-3 years. We will need to know the following regarding these episodes:
What providers did you seek treatment for these episodes?
ER visits, Primary care, Specialists (bonus points if you have names available), Physical Therapy, Chiropractic, Massage, Acupuncture
Did you take anything Over the Counter (OTC) or Prescribed?
Tylenol, NSAIDs, steroids, muscle relaxers, nerve medications, topicals, ice/heat therapy
Did any of those treatments work?
Even if the response is TEMPORARY – it is still important to us to know!
You should be able to answer the following about this current episode:
When did it begin?
In other words, when was there a change in your pain that prompted you to set up an appointment for evaluation.
Were you doing anything leading up to the event that may have aggravated your pain?
Have you tried any treatment yet?
This includes self treatment and/or prescribed treatment such as medications, Physical Therapy, Chiropractic, Massage therapy, rest, etc.
Bonus points if you can recount dates/# of visits for each treatment tried
When does the pain occur?
If pain is constant, does pain fluctuate in intensity with certain movements (be able to describe these movements)
Have you found anything to alleviate pain?
Important: we understand your pain may not go away, or that the alleviation is temporary, but letting us know what helps (even mildly or short term) can guide our diagnosis and treatment plan better!
What aggravates the pain?
Most common answers involve sitting, standing, walking, bending, lifting, twisting
Again, if pain is CONSTANT, let us know what causes FLUCTUATIONS in pain
Do you have any prior imaging on the area of concern?
If imaging has been done, it is BEST to bring a copy of the image, either CD, report, or both – most offices will say they fax over your info, but in my experience, I end up not having any reports available and ready for review at the first visit.
Note: The MOST RECENT imaging is the most pertinent, most times we do not need to see older scans as the more recent scan is the closest reflection to what your spine looks like when you come in for evaluation.
Coming prepared to your visit ready to answer these questions will give your provider the best chance at getting you an accurate diagnosis and on to an effective treatment plan. This means a more speedy recovery for you! The thing to understand with low back pain is it is usually a problem that smolders for months to years before it becomes a major problem. So when seeking treatment, understand there should be avenues of treatment that help with current pain flares, but also a discussion on how to PREVENT future or further injury.
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