{"id":56,"date":"2021-01-12T13:36:00","date_gmt":"2021-01-12T13:36:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.valleysportsphysicians.com\/blog\/?p=56"},"modified":"2021-02-12T20:10:44","modified_gmt":"2021-02-12T20:10:44","slug":"tips-for-describing-your-back-pain-to-your-doctor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.valleysportsphysicians.com\/blog\/2021\/01\/12\/tips-for-describing-your-back-pain-to-your-doctor\/","title":{"rendered":"Tips For Describing Your Back Pain to Your Doctor"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/www.valleysportsphysicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/AdobeStock_291290553__1613136584_86730-300x169.jpg\" alt=\"man with back pain speaking to a doctor \" class=\"wp-image-57\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.valleysportsphysicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/AdobeStock_291290553__1613136584_86730-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.valleysportsphysicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/AdobeStock_291290553__1613136584_86730-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.valleysportsphysicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/AdobeStock_291290553__1613136584_86730.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Tens of millions of people suffer from back pain every year, and the experience is always different from person to person. If your back pain is severe enough that you\u2019re considering going to the doctor, it\u2019s important that you\u2019re able to properly describe what you\u2019re feeling. This will help your doctor determine what may be triggering the problem, and more importantly, how you can get relief. There are several factors to consider when it comes to back pain, but you really only need to tell your doctor about 5 to give them (and you!) the best chance for success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Time<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When does your back pain occur? Do you feel it from the moment you wake up, does it develop throughout the day, or does it only pop up after work or performing a certain activity?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Duration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>How long does your back hurt once the pain has started? Do you feel it all the time? Does it start in the morning but fade throughout the day? Does it disappear on its own after a few days? Or, is the pain only temporary, occurring for a brief moment before going away?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Intensity<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Is your back pain a low, dull ache or an intense stabbing sensation? Are you usually able to ignore it and continue with your life, or does it force you to stop and take time off? One common way doctors ask about the severity of pain is with the 1-10 scale, with one being light soreness and 10 being extremely intense. The scale is relative, so don\u2019t worry about picking the \u201cright\u201d number.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Affected Area<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Do you feel pain in your lower back, upper back, or somewhere in the middle? Is the sensation spread out over a large area, or is it concentrated in one sensitive spot? Has the pain spread from where it started?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Stiffness<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When your back is hurting, are you less able to move? Do certain motions cause it to flare up? Has your back ever locked up or been \u201cthrown out\u201d?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bonus Tip: Keep a Pain Journal<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If don\u2019t want to have to remember the answers to all of these questions, try to keep a pain journal for about a week before your appointment. Note the time, intensity, and context for your back pain each day, and this will enable your doctor to notice trends that could paint a more detailed picture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even though your answers to these questions will be extremely helpful, don\u2019t stress about being \u201cright\u201d or \u201cwrong.\u201d Your experience will be just part of your doctor\u2019s diagnosis, as they will also perform a physical exam and likely take X-rays. When all of these elements come together, it should be clear what is causing your problem, which is good news, because that means you and your doctor can start on the path toward a long-term solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><u>About the Author<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.valleysportsphysicians.com\/paul-tortland-do-faoasm.html\">Dr. Paul Tortland<\/a> is dual board-certified in sports and regenerative medicine, and over the years, he has literally treated thousands of patients with back pain. He can use diagnostic ultrasound to determine the root cause and then apply regenerative medicine that accelerates the natural healing process, which will help the pain go away and stay away, avoiding unnecessary surgery. To learn more about your options and take your first step toward recovery, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.valleysportsphysicians.com\/contact-us.html\">click here<\/a> to schedule a consultation.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Tens of millions of people suffer from back pain every year, and the experience is always different from person to person. If your back pain is severe enough that you\u2019re considering going to the doctor, it\u2019s important that you\u2019re able to properly describe what you\u2019re feeling. This will help your doctor determine what may be [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Tips For Describing Your Back Pain to Your Doctor - Valley Sports Physicians &amp; Orthopedic Medicine Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Not all back pain is the same, and knowing how to describe it to your doctor can help them figure out the right solution more quickly.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.valleysportsphysicians.com\/blog\/2021\/01\/12\/tips-for-describing-your-back-pain-to-your-doctor\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Tips For Describing Your Back Pain to Your Doctor - Valley Sports Physicians &amp; 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