Skip to main content

Image of a Woman patient suffering from back pain during medical exam

 

There are many possible causes of back pain. A back specialist will investigate a patient’s medical history as part of the thorough examination to formulate an accurate diagnosis and effective treatment. For patients who complain about back pain for the first time, some questions may not seem important, but the questions will be important for doctors to determine the source and cause of back pain.

 

Some information that may be asked relating to medical history are as follows:

  • When the pain began
  • The severity of pain and its triggers
  • Pain recurrence
  • Recent medical conditions
  • Presence of symptoms including fever, cough, urinary problems, discharge, and stomach upsets

 

Physical examination during back pain assessment 

After investigating the medical history, a back specialist will perform a physical examination. The thorough procedure will include checking for the presence of nerve damage. Different tools will be used during the physical examination. Also, you will be asked to perform various manoeuvres and assume different positions to identify the presence of nerve damage.

Depending on the probable cause of back pain, a back specialist may also perform abdominal and pelvic examinations. These procedures may also help in diagnosing the cause of lower back pain.

 

Lastly, a back pain specialist may order a more extensive diagnostic procedure to identify what is causing your back pain. There is no single definitive test that can identify the cause of back pain, hence you may need to undergo several procedures for specialists to deliver the right treatment for you.

Imaging tests and sophisticated diagnostic procedures may be ordered for complicated back pain. If back pain persists for more than 4 to 6 weeks and red flags were detected during assessment, a back pain specialist will recommend the best treatment possible or may refer you to other health care specialists for further testing or implementation of surgery if needed.

 

To schedule an appointment with an experienced back pain clinic in Australia, come visit our osteopaths at City Osteopathy, give us a call now on 03 9663 5450 today.