Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
Lumbar spinal stenosis can cause leg pain, numbness, heaviness and reduced walking ability. Learn about assessment, multimodal treatment and rehabilitation.
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How do we make a diagnosis?
One of the strengths of chiropractic training is our ability to make a specific diagnosis, especially with neuro-musculo-skeletal problems. When it comes to spinal pain, neck pain, mid-back pain and lower back pain there are many different diagnoses.
It is not uncommon for a patient to have more than one condition at the same time. All chiropractors at the Isis Chiropractic Clinics are trained in medical diagnosis, often termed general diagnosis, which means that we are trained to identify underlying medical pathology.
The Importance of Medical Screening
There are many non-muscle and joint problems that can cause pain and other symptoms, so when you come in to our clinics we do what is called a triage, take a medical history, take your blood pressure and temperature followed by a physical, orthopaedic, chiropractic and neurological examination.
When it comes to back pain and pain coming from the spine being referred to other areas of the body, it is particularly important to be able rule out other conditions, especially if they are not suitable for chiropractic treatment and need urgent medical referral.
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The Chiropractic Diagnosis
When you come into our clinic the chiropractor’s first goal is to find out what is wrong and to make a diagnosis.
The diagnosis determines which type of treatment you need and what needs to be addressed. One of the most important things for the chiropractor to do is to identify the pain producing structure(s), in order to be able to direct the treatment accurately to reduce the pain and promote healing as quickly and effectively as possible.
The Importance of Differential Diagnosis
Common Causes of Spinal Pain
Spinal pain—including neck, mid-back, and lower back pain—can result from many different conditions. Patients often have more than one problem at the same time. Some common back conditions we encounter include:
Central stenosis
Lateral dynamic stenosis
Modic changes
The term “syndrome” covers a group of symptoms linked to injuries of the facet or sacroiliac joints, including muscle spasms and referred pain. The specific muscles and areas affected can vary widely.
When to Be Concerned: Rare Causes of Lower Back Pain
Although rare, some serious illnesses can cause lower back pain. These include cancer, infections, and abdominal conditions. Such causes account for only about 0.5–1% of patients we see. However, early diagnosis is vital to provide the best possible treatment as soon as possible.
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