Diagnosing Lower Back Pain in Vacaville

By undergoing a thorough physical and neurologic assessment in Vacaville, the cause of your lower back pain may be revealed. This could be an underlying spinal condition that leads to pain.

Physical examination: 1st step in low back pain diagnosis in Vacaville

During the physical examination, you will be asked about your current condition and medical history. Your doctor will ask questions regarding the following:

• When the pain started
• What activities make the pain better or worse
• What methods you've tried to relieve the pain

Your doctor will then examine your range of motion. This will be evaluated when you're standing straight, bending forward, and to the side. Posture, asymmetry, and leg length will be recorded. Methodical palpation of the spine will help reveal muscle spasm, tender points, and possibly bony displacement.

Abdominal palpation is done to find out if the cause of low back pain is organ-related. The pain can travel from the affected organ and can create low back pain.

Neurological examination: 2nd step in the diagnostic process

The neurological examination determines burning, pain, tingling, weakness, diminished function, absence of reflexes, and other signs that could indicate nerve involvement.

There are instances where electrodiagnostic studies will be used. This includes methods like nerve conduction velocity (NCV) or electromyography (EMG), which helps in confirming the diagnosis or localize the nerve injury location.

Imaging studies: 3rd step in making a diagnosis

Plain radiographs (x-rays), MRI studies, and/or CT scans are conducted when the possibility of a fracture or neurologic dysfunction is suspected.

MRIs are known as the gold standard in imaging today. This test can render high-resolution images of spinal tissues like the intervertebral discs and spinal cord.

X-rays are still the best choice when it comes to studying the bony elements in the lower back.

Lab tests: 4th step in diagnosing low back pain

If fracture, infection, malignancy, or other risk factors are suspected, you will be required to take routine lab tests. These tests include urinalysis, complete blood count (CBC), and erythrocyte sedimentation (ESR).

Lower back pain diagnosis: 5th in the diagnostic process

Your results in the physical and neurologic examinations along with the test results (MRIs, x-rays, and any lab tests required) will be carefully evaluated to finalize your diagnosis. This will then show the underlying spinal condition that causes you pain.

The next time you are feeling some pain or discomfort in your lower back, there's no denying that you will need the help of Dr. Alex Tam of Absolute Family Chiropractic. He is the lead chiropractor in that clinic and it can be found in Vacaville, CA. His clinic also treats a wide variety of spinal conditions so make sure to set up a consultation by dialing (707) 474-5688 today. Dr. Tam and his team will ensure that your condition will be looked into and that a treatment plan will be provided right away.