1. persistent back pain can be frightening, but is rarely dangerous
Persistent back pain is usually very stressful and restrictive for the patients affected. Ordinary everyday activities are often only possible with great pain. For many affected patients, this also causes uncertainty and anxiety. This is precisely why it is important to know that back pain is rarely dangerous.
2. back pain (almost) always has various causes
The back is a complex organ consisting of various components. All of these anatomical components can be partly responsible for back pain:
- Muscular tension
- Irritation or osteoarthritis in the intervertebral joints (facet joint syndrome)
- Intervertebral disc pain
- Herniated disc / disc hernia with nerve root irritation
- Narrow spinal canal with irritation of the spinal cord or nerve roots
- Rheumatologic diseases
A good medical assessment helps to classify the causes of the plaguing back pain and to create an individually tailored treatment plan.
3 MRI, CT and X-ray are not always helpful
MRI and X-ray examinations are important for diagnosis and treatment planning in certain cases. In the vast majority of cases, however, an imaging examination is only of limited help. This is because an MRI very often reveals numerous findings such as bulging intervertebral discs, signs of osteoarthritis or wear and tear. However, the MRI does not show which of these findings is responsible for the pain. This is because such findings also occur in people who are completely free of pain and therefore hardly allow a clear statement to be made about the causes of the pain problem.
4. targeted test injections play an important role
Targeted test injections play a very important role in back pain diagnostics. Targeted injections with local anesthetics can be carried out under ultrasound or X-ray control. This temporarily anaesthetizes the suspected “pain generators”. If the pain complained of then subsides, it can be assumed that it originates from the structure in question. Such infiltrations are primarily used to gain information rather than to provide therapeutic benefit for the patient. However, the information obtained in this way may then be used to develop a targeted therapeutic approach.
5 Everyday movement and exercise helps with back pain
Contrary to the widespread belief that a back suffering from pain needs rest and protection, targeted movement and exercise is helpful and recommended in the vast majority of cases. Care should be taken to ensure that sporting activities, e.g. lifting loads correctly, are started carefully and practiced regularly.
6. medication is generally of little benefit
For individual days, the use of non-steroidal pain medication such as ibuprofen, diclofenac or mefenamic acid can help to improve the pain situation. In the long term, however, medication is generally of little help with chronic back pain. Even strong painkillers such as opioids are rarely effective in treating chronic back pain. In addition, the use of opioids is associated with risks and side effects.
7. an interdisciplinary treatment approach is recommended
The treatment of chronic back pain is often challenging. A systematic assessment is crucial in order to be able to plan a good therapy. It often makes sense to combine or coordinate different measures. This often requires the involvement of various specialists.
