If you have ever experienced back pain, you know that it can be absolutely unbearable. Patients who suffer from chronic pain will do almost anything to reduce the pain. However, you have to accurately diagnose the root cause of the pain before you start treatment. The downside is that diagnoses can take time. So what is a patient to do about their pain while they wait for a diagnosis? In this article, we are going to talk about some options for controlling back pain while you wait for a diagnosis.

Accurate Diagnoses Take Time

As we have mentioned many times before, an accurate diagnosis is absolutely essential for effectively treating back pain. Before you begin down a treatment path, you need to determine what exactly is causing the pain because different causes require different treatment methods. For example, a herniated disc requires a different approach to treatment than a degenerative spinal disc. The issue with this is that an accurate diagnosis can take time. Your physician may have to order diagnostic imaging tests (MRIs, x-rays, CT scans), diagnostic injections, or other tests. Even after these tests are complete, it can take time to interpret the results. All of this adds up to the fact that many patients have to wait and live with their pain while a diagnosis is reached.

How to Control Pain while you Wait

Thankfully, there are options for controlling pain while you wait for your diagnosis. There are numerous treatments that can reduce pain in the short term. Pain medications (whether over the counter or prescription) can help control pain during the wait. If the patient is in extreme pain, injection therapy can be used to kill the pain. Once the cause of pain is diagnosed, these short-term treatments can be ceased, and patients can start on a long-term treatment plan.

Talk to your physician about how to best control your pain while you wait for various test results and an accurate diagnosis.

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