Disability warning for long-term lower back pain

Long term lower-back pain can cause a change in a patient’s manner of walking. Some serious conditions can arise from this, such as foot disabilities

​While medical treatments are available that can relieve lower-back pain for short periods, the symptoms often return, usually in a more severe form. 

Dr. Sik Thireak, an orthopedist at Samnang 12 Bone Clinic, said the problems that cause lower back pain cannot be detected by X-ray, adding that patients need a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan of their vertebral discs to see if the cause of their pain lies there.   

“Long term lower-back pain can cause a change in a patient’s manner of walking. Some serious conditions can arise from this, such as foot disabilities,” he said. 

Lower-back pain can worsen if the patient fails to follow healthcare recommendations such as exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy weight. 

“Medical treatment is important, but it is not always the answer. The important thing for lower-back pain patients is to exercise and stay fit. Some patients don’t require any medical treatment at all,” Dr. Thireak said. 

Some serious conditions causing intense lower-back pain require bone surgery, the doctor said, adding that every case was different.

The doctor warned that patientswho need disc surgery sometimes suffer from

a relapse of the condition, but that doing surgery on the same disc a second time is difficult. In some cases, lower-back pain can spread to other discs. 

Dr. Thireak said he had seen cases where lower-back pain returned four years after being treated. He said this was usually the result of weight gain.

However, he added that in most cases lower-back pain is not indicative of a very serious illness. If the condition lasts for just a few days, an MRI scan is not required. Nonetheless, anyone suffering back pain should consult an expert to ensure they get the right treatment, if needed. Sonyka, Va. (2016, December 28). Disability Warning for Long-Term Lower Back Pain, Health Section, Khmer Times.