Discogenic Low Back Pain

Discogenic lumbar back pain – A brief know - how

About

Discogenic lumbar (low back) pain is a deteriorating condition of the lower back, where the source of pain is generated from one or several intervertebral discs.
An estimated 9 - 12 % of people in the world experience this disease at any point of time, with 40% of them coming face to face with back pain at some juncture in their lives. 4)

-- Usually self - treatable
-- Lab tests or imaging rarely required
-- Short term - pain usually subsides in 2 - 3 months
The pain may be categorized by duration into acute (< 6 weeks), sub - chronic (6 - 12 weeks) or chronic ( > 12 weeks).
Some consequences of lower back pain include changes in mood, which can be taken care of by prescribing antidepressants or using counseling services.
Ages affected - Between 20 and 40 - predominant; Above 40 - Less often

Symptoms

Self - diagnosable
Most of the times, the only symptom is pain in the back
People may experience -
Pain areas - in the muscles, back and hips
Sensory - leg numbness or pins and needles
Also common - back joint dysfunction or muscle spasms
Discomfort in sitting
Sleep problems

Treatment

Self - Care:
Physical therapeutic activities such as acupuncture and yoga help significantly. Massages are proven to reduce pain. Lifestyle changes including quitting smoking, also help to preserve a healthy spine.

Medication:
Anti - inflammatory drugs and antidepressants (gabapentin, pregabalin, topiramate etc.) may be prescribed

Specialist:
Spinal (corticosteroid) injections and minimally invasive techniques are of great service to patients. For more information, consult an appointment with doctors on mfine (www.mfine.co)