Studies suggest that 8 in 10 people are more likely to suffer from back pain at any time. What is more surprising is that most people with back pain do not know how to describe their feelings. If you have back pain that does not seem to go away, it is time you went to see a specialist for back pain in Tampa based at Osteoporosis and Rheumatology Center of Tampa Bay. But before you book your appointment with Jeffrey Miller, MD, and his team, master these tips to make your visit worth the while.
How to describe your back pain to your doctor
Tell your doctor about:
1. The seriousness of your back pain
Is your pain mild or serious, and does not it occur more often? Your back pain’s intensity is gauged depending on the frequency and strength. Tell your doctor about how you feel when doing some tasks. Your doctor may ask you to bend or do stretch exercises to determine the intensity.
2. Portray your pain using the right words
Is your pain sharp, excruciating, stinging, burning, or throbbing? Using the right words to describe your pain can help your doctor to conclude its seriousness. For example, stinging pain might be a sign of injury or herniated discs. But if you cannot find the right words to describe it, talk about how often it occurs and how intense it is. Alternatively, your doctor can give you a list of vocabulary that you can use.
3. Which part of your body suffers the most?
A person in pain can identify how it travels. For instance, if your back pain causes your leg to ache, you might have arthritis. During your interview, your doctor might provide a diagram to determine where the pain is coming from. You do not have to use words at this point. Just point it out.
4. Describe when the pain intensifies
Do you experience the pain at night or early in the morning? Your doctor can identify what is ailing you and prevent you from developing future complications after knowing how often it occurs. For example, if it comes and goes after a few days, you could be having intermittent pain. However, this type of pain might be quite misleading because it can take weeks before it shows up.
5. If it affects your quality of life
Pain can prevent you from engaging in physical exercises or even doing daily tasks. Do not shy from telling your doctor about being unable to get out of bed in the morning or climbing the stairs to work.
6. Talk about how it is affecting your social life
Is your pain preventing you from engaging in sexual activities or joining your friends over for coffee? Sometimes, pain manifests itself when you are under stress. Your doctor might recommend you to go for therapy before administering other treatments.
See a Pain Specialist for Back Pain
Using the right words to portray your back pain can help speed up your diagnosis process. Use these six tips the next time you see a pain specialist for back pain and spinal conditions. To find out how a back pain specialist diagnoses spinal conditions, schedule a consultation today.