Lower Back Pain Diagnosis A methodical and thorough medical history and physical exam can regularly recognize any precarious conditions or family medical history that may be associated with the lower back pain. Another vital part is patient description of the onset, area, and severity of the pain. The duration of symptoms, any limitations of movement and history of previous episodes or any health conditions that might be related to the pain can also help diagnosis. A physician will examine the specific area of your back and conduct neurologic exams to determine the cause of pain and the appropriate treatment. Blood tests could be ordered along with imaging tests that may be necessary to diagnose tumors or other possible sources of the pain. Contact your local chiropractor about your acute or chronic back pain and start a course of treatment. Diagnostic Methods To Confirm The Cause Of Low Back Pain: X-ray Imaging involves conventional and enhanced techniques that can help diagnose the cause and area of lower back pain. A conventional x-ray is frequently the first imaging technique used and it looks for broken bones or a misaligned or hurt vertebra. A technician shoots a concentrated beam of low-dose ionized radiation through the back of the patient and takes pictures that visibly show the bony structure and any vertebra that are misaligned or fractured. Tissue masses like injured muscles, ligaments or a bulging disc are not visible on conventional x-rays, even though they may extremely painful. This is quick, noninvasive, and painless procedure is typically performed in a doctor’s office or clinic. Discography entails the injection of a special contrast dye into the spinal disc causing the low back pain. The dye will outline the damaged area on x-rays. This procedure is often recommended for patients who are considering lumbar surgery, lower back, or when the pain has not responded to conventional treatments. Myelograms will also improve the diagnostic imaging of an x-ray. In this technique, the contrast dye is injected directly into the spinal canal, allowing spinal cord and nerve compression caused by a herniated discs or fractures to vertebrae to show up on the x-ray. Computerized Tomography (CT) is a fast and painless procedure used when a disc ruptures, spinal stenosis, or damage to vertebrae is the suspected culprit as the cause of low back pain. X-rays are taken the body at various angles and are identified by the computerized scanner to produce two-dimensional segments (1 mm each) of the internal structures of the back. This diagnostic procedure is normally conducted at an imaging center or hospital. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is used to assess the lumbar region for bone degeneration, disease, or injury in tissues, nerves, ligaments, muscles, and blood vessels. MRI scanning creates a magnetic field around the body that is strong enough to temporarily realign water molecules in the tissues. Radio waves then pass through the body to detect the “relaxation” of the molecules back to a random alignment, which in turn triggers a resonance signal at different angles within the body. A computer will processes this resonance into either a three-dimensional picture or a two-dimensional “slice” of the tissue being scanned, and distinguishes between bone, soft tissues and fluid-filled areas by their water content and structural properties. This noninvasive technique is frequently used to identify a condition requiring swift surgical action. Electrodiagnostic Procedures include electromyography (EMG), evoked potential (EP) studies, and nerve conduction studies. The EMG evaluates the electrical activity in a nerve and can identify if muscle weakness is a result of injury or a problem with the nerves that control the muscles. Very fine needles are inserted into the muscles to measure the electrical activity transmitted from the brain or spinal cord to a particular region of the body. In nerve conduction studies the health care professional uses two sets of electrodes that are similar to those used during an electrocardiogram and places them on the skin over the affected muscles. The first set stimulates the nerve that runs to a particular muscle by giving the patient a mild shock. The second set of electrodes is used to record the nerve’s electrical signals. From this information the doctor can establish if there is nerve damage. EP tests involve two sets of electrodes — one for the stimulation of a sensory nerve and the other set placed on the scalp to record the speed at which the nerve signal is transmitted to the brain. Bone Scans are used to observe and analyze fractures, infections, or disorders in the bones. A minute amount of radioactive material is injected into the bloodstream and will gather in the bones, principally in the areas with some irregularities. Scanner-generated images are sent to a computer to recognize definite areas of irregular bone metabolism, abnormal blood flow, and measure levels of joint malady. Thermography uses infrared sensing devices to measure small temperature fluctuations between the two sides of the body or the temperature of a particular organ. Thermography can be used to identify the presence or deficiency of nerve root compression. Ultrasound Imaging, ultrasound scanning or sonography uses high-frequency sound waves to generate images from inside the body. Sound wave echoes are recorded and exhibited as a real-time visual image. Ultrasound imaging can show abnormalities or tears in ligaments, tendons, muscles, and other soft tissue masses of the back. Contact your local chiropractor about your acute or chronic back pain and start a course of treatment.