What to Expect During a Medical Examination
Your doctor or healthcare professional will check to see if you have an illness that may be causing your back pain. In addition to examining your back, he or she will ask about your symptoms, your medical history, and your physical activity. Tell your healthcare professional about any pain medications, creams or ointments, supplements, or other home remedies that you may be using. Because factors such as stress, personal or emotional problems, depression, or drug or alcohol use can affect back pain, discuss these as well. These are some questions that you may be asked:
- When did your back pain start?
- What daily activities are you not able to do because of your back pain?
- Is there anything that you do that makes the pain better or worse?
- Have you experienced any pain in your legs?
- Around the time your back pain began, did you have a fever or experience pain or burning when urinating?
- What, if any, other symptoms have you noticed?
- Have you had low back pain in the past? If so, when?
- What illnesses have you had (e.g., cancer, arthritis, or diseases of the immune system)?
- Which medicines do you take regularly?
- Have you ever used intravenous drugs?
- Have you recently lost weight without trying?
Even after a careful physical examination, your healthcare professional may not be able to identify the exact cause of your low back pain. Most likely, you will find that your pain is not being caused by a dangerous medical condition. Few people (about 1 in 200) have low back pain caused by conditions that require specialized tests. You probably will not need specialized tests if you have had low back pain for only a few weeks.
