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Suggest Treatment For Pain In The Back Even After Taking Pain Medicines
Question: I have constant pain in a certain area of my back. I have tried muscle relaxers and many different pain meds with no relief. What should I be doing at this point? What should I be asking my physician to look for? I feel like he thinks I just want meds when all I want is relief. I'm only 37 and have 3 children 2of which are only 9. I'm at my wits end. There are times I just wish I would die to get relief, but my children need me so that's not an option.
Brief Answer:
Physical therapy is important.
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern, especially considering how busy you must be with 3 children to take care of.
Back pain is generally benign especially at your age. Its management includes apart from the pain killers and muscle relaxers which you have tried also physical therapy, which is even more important than the medications because it addresses the origin of the pain while the drugs just soothe the symptoms.
Some history details might be useful such as:
-duration of the pain, how it began (sudden or gradual),
-location,
-exacerbating or improving factors (walking, climbing stairs, bed rest),
-is it worse during the day or night,
-accompanying fever, bladder issues, pain or numbness in the limbs or any other symptoms,
-is it the first episode or have you had others in the past,
-past trauma or rheumatological conditions,
-history of cancer or other illnesses, medications for them.
Generally though, if a back pain persists for over 6 weeks, without response to therapy, then an imaging test like CT or MRI should be scheduled to look for the cause.
Other alternatives might include local injections of corticosteroids and analgesics, but that can be considered only after imaging.
I remain at your disposal for further questions.
Physical therapy is important.
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern, especially considering how busy you must be with 3 children to take care of.
Back pain is generally benign especially at your age. Its management includes apart from the pain killers and muscle relaxers which you have tried also physical therapy, which is even more important than the medications because it addresses the origin of the pain while the drugs just soothe the symptoms.
Some history details might be useful such as:
-duration of the pain, how it began (sudden or gradual),
-location,
-exacerbating or improving factors (walking, climbing stairs, bed rest),
-is it worse during the day or night,
-accompanying fever, bladder issues, pain or numbness in the limbs or any other symptoms,
-is it the first episode or have you had others in the past,
-past trauma or rheumatological conditions,
-history of cancer or other illnesses, medications for them.
Generally though, if a back pain persists for over 6 weeks, without response to therapy, then an imaging test like CT or MRI should be scheduled to look for the cause.
Other alternatives might include local injections of corticosteroids and analgesics, but that can be considered only after imaging.
I remain at your disposal for further questions.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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