Is my back pain getting better?
Many believe back pain is self limiting, and it gets better over time on its own. But what happens when it doesn't? Or it reoccurs on a regular basis?
I'm sure many of you have experienced some sort of discomfort in the back. And some of you may have experienced significant pain. But how do you know if this pain will get better on its own or it is something more?
Chiropractors have a specific set of diagnostic and therapeutic skills for this. We can determine with clinical testing, what is likely causing this pain; a diagnosis. And from this, we can tell you whether it is self limiting, or if some intervention is required; a prognosis.
Let me give you a (very) small tip, but it should not be used as the sole indicator to a diagnosis. This is simply an example of one of the many factors we use to help ascertain a diagnosis and thus formulate an effective prognosis.
Lets say you're suffering from low back pain. Combined with clinical tests, a small indication of whether you feel better or significantly worse in the morning can be used to identify the source of pain and severity of your condition. Pain that is relieved by rest, ie. a night sleep often (but not always) is more likely to be classified to be in the less serious category of disorders. However, you should not dismiss this as it getting better, but it may just be a less serious condition. Chiropractors use a combination of orthopedic tests in a clinical setting to determine a differential diagnosis, so its best that you get it checked out.
Pain that is significantly worse in the morning with a nights rest, often (but not always) is likely to be classified in the more serious category.
I have been asked many times as to what Chiropractors do and often we've been labelled as back crackers. But let me give you a more specific answer. We are Clinicians who have a specialised skill in assessing the spine and have been trained to identify and diagnose a wide range of spinal disorders.
At Maroubra Chiropractic, our Chiropractors will help you understand your condition. We will help determine if your back pain is something that will get better with some rest, or if it's something that needs to be looked after.