There are many options for back pain treatment, including other treatments. Your doctor may recommend acupuncture, massage, and herbal medicine as part of your treatment plan.

Doctors will evaluate your back, assess your ability to stand, sit, walk, and lift your legs if you have back pain. You can also be asked by the doctor to rate your low back and leg pain and discuss how you cope with it.

These tests help to determine the source of the pain, the amount you can move before it forces you to stop, and if you have any muscle spasms. A back doctor near you can also help rule out other causes of back pain.

If you suspect that your back pain is caused by a particular disease, a back, and neck specialist near you may request one or more of these tests:

X-rays – These images show how your bones are aligned and whether you have arthritis. These images do not reveal problems with the spine, muscles, nerves, or intervertebral disks.

Computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging- These scans can reveal herniated discs or other problems with bones, muscles, and tissues. This is recommended for chronic cases by my back doctors.

A majority of acute back pain will improve after a few weeks' home treatment. Contact a chronic pain specialist near you if the pain persists for more than one week. You may only need to use heat or ice as well as over-the-counter painkillers. It is not recommended to use bed rest.