Back Pain Causes, Treatment, and the D.O. Difference
Back pain can vary greatly in severity and may interfere with normal physical activity, work, exercise, and everyday tasks. Many people experience acute back pain at some point in their lives. Acute pain may begin suddenly after lifting, bending, overuse, or injury and may improve over time. Chronic back pain may persist for months and can interfere with walking, bending, lifting, sitting, standing, and other activities.
Whether you are experiencing acute or chronic back pain, a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) can evaluate possible causes of your symptoms and develop an individualized treatment plan. Dr. Beneditskiy evaluates patients in Brooklyn, NY, with attention to medical history, physical examination findings, musculoskeletal function, previous injuries, activity, and other factors that may contribute to back pain.
Common Causes of Back Pain
Back pain may originate from the muscles, joints, ligaments, discs, nerves, or other structures of the spine. Common causes include muscle strain and spasm, degenerative changes of the lumbar spine, arthritis, disc degeneration, herniated discs, spinal stenosis, sacroiliac joint dysfunction, repetitive strain, posture-related problems, and injury.
A careful medical evaluation can help determine whether symptoms are primarily musculoskeletal or whether further diagnostic testing or specialist evaluation is needed. New severe pain following trauma, progressive weakness or numbness, loss of bowel or bladder control, fever, or other concerning symptoms require prompt medical evaluation.
What Can I Expect from Osteopathic Medicine?
A Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine evaluates the patient medically and may also examine posture, range of motion, muscle tension, joint mobility, tenderness, and other musculoskeletal findings. Treatment is individualized according to the patient’s symptoms, examination findings, medical history, and underlying condition.
When clinically appropriate, Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT) may include soft-tissue techniques, myofascial release, muscle energy, counterstrain, articulatory techniques, and selected thrust techniques. OMT is not required for every patient or every condition and is used when it is considered appropriate as part of the overall treatment plan.
How a D.O. Can Help with Your Back Pain
Treatment of back pain begins with identifying the likely source of the symptoms and understanding how the condition affects the patient’s mobility and daily activities. Depending on the diagnosis, treatment may include activity modification, home exercises, medication when appropriate, Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment, additional diagnostic testing, or referral for further evaluation.
OMT is a hands-on treatment approach that may be used to address areas of muscle tension, joint restriction, soft-tissue dysfunction, and altered biomechanics that contribute to some types of back pain. Techniques are selected according to the patient’s individual examination findings and medical condition.