You Need To Consider Doing This If Your Back Sprain Is Not Improving With Exercise
A back sprain can feel like a constant roadblock, preventing you from fully enjoying your day. Whether caused by lifting something heavy, a sudden twist, or an awkward movement, back sprains can result in sharp, debilitating pain that leaves you feeling immobilized. The discomfort from a back sprain can make even the simplest activities—like bending over to tie your shoes or sitting at your desk—painful and difficult.
The emotional impact of a back sprain can be just as overwhelming as the physical pain. The constant awareness of your limitations, combined with the worry that the pain might persist or worsen, can lead to stress, frustration, and feelings of helplessness. If exercise hasn’t provided lasting relief from your back sprain, it may be time to explore other treatment options that can target the root cause and provide you with long-term relief.
Exercise: A Common Approach to Treating Back Sprain
Exercise is often recommended as part of the recovery process for back sprain because it helps to strengthen the muscles supporting the spine, improve flexibility, and reduce strain on the injured area. Targeted exercises can promote proper alignment, reduce muscle tension, and enhance overall back strength, helping to prevent further sprains in the future.
However, while exercise is effective for many individuals recovering from a back sprain, it may not always provide full relief, especially if the injury is severe or caused by underlying issues such as muscle imbalances, herniated discs, or misalignment. For some, exercise alone might not be enough, leaving them feeling frustrated and unsure about how to move forward with their recovery.
Why Getting a Clear Diagnosis Is Crucial
Back sprains can arise from many different causes, and understanding the exact cause is crucial for effective treatment. Here are five common causes of back sprains:
- Muscle Strain – Overuse, improper lifting, or sudden twisting movements can overstretch or tear the muscles in the back, leading to pain and discomfort.
- Ligament Sprain – A ligament in the back may be overstretched or torn, causing pain, swelling, and instability.
- Herniated Disc – A bulging or slipped disc can press on nearby nerves, causing pain and stiffness in the back, particularly when bending or lifting.
- Poor Posture – Chronic poor posture can strain the muscles and ligaments of the back, resulting in pain and discomfort.
- Spinal Stenosis – Narrowing of the spinal canal can put pressure on the spinal cord, leading to pain in the lower back and legs.
In addition to these common causes, two less common but potentially serious causes of back sprains include:
- Fractures – A break in the bones of the back can cause intense pain and limit movement.
- Infections – Spinal infections can cause inflammation and pain, requiring immediate medical attention.
The Need for Imaging to Get a Precise Diagnosis
It’s important to understand that back sprains cannot always be fully diagnosed based on symptoms alone. Imaging techniques such as X-rays, MRIs, and ultrasounds are necessary to assess the condition of the muscles, ligaments, discs, and bones in the back. These tools help healthcare providers get a clear picture of what’s causing the pain and create a treatment plan tailored to your specific condition.
The Pain Relief Clinic: Your Partner in Finding a Clear Diagnosis
At The Pain Relief Clinic, we understand how a back sprain can limit your ability to move freely and perform daily activities. With over a decade of experience, we specialize in offering non-invasive diagnostic services to uncover the root cause of your pain. If exercise hasn’t provided lasting relief, we can arrange for affordable scans, typically within one working day.
Medisave can often be used to help cover the cost of these scans, making them more accessible for you.
We also assist with insurance claims, including accident insurance, travel insurance, and company insurance, ensuring that you can access the care you need without added financial strain.
Once we have a precise diagnosis, we can provide targeted treatments, solutions, and non-invasive technology to help alleviate your back sprain and restore your mobility.
Ready to take control of your back sprain? Send us a message today to arrange an appointment and take the first step toward lasting relief from back sprain.
What To Expect When I Visit The Pain Relief Clinic
A typical visit will involve our doctor first understanding your medical history, concerns and previous experience with other pain treatments.
For patients who have consulted many people but have yet to receive a clear diagnosis, selecting an affordable imaging scan might be recommended to confirm the cause of your pain..
Some patients have already done scans with other doctors for their pain condition but are still not clearly told what they suffer from.
Dr Terence Tan is happy to offer you a second opinion and recommend how best to manage your condition.
We also see patients who already have a confirmed diagnosis from specialist pain doctors, but are "stuck” because treatment options offered are not practical or acceptable.
We can help by discussing options that you might have potentially never been told of.
A common experience is when a patient has already consulted a specialist doctor for pain management and is told to consider orthopaedic surgery which they find too aggressive.
Or they may have seen doctors for their pain and were prescribed painkillers with potential side effects which made them feel uncomfortable.
Many of our patients have also first tried complementary treatments or acupuncture with traditional Chinese pain doctors.
They look for a second opinion after finding any relief experienced from other treatments to be temporary or requiring repetitive treatments, which add up to time and cost.
Especially in such situations, we emphasize using non-invasive medical technology you likely have not been told about .
This can make a big difference to your results.