FAQs

Back pain can have many causes, but the most common type is called mechanical back pain. This usually happens when the bones, discs, or muscles in your back are strained or stressed. Often, the pain is felt in your lower back and doesn’t spread to your legs.
For most people, back pain improves with simple treatments like rest, painkillers, or physiotherapy. Only a small number of people develop longer-lasting or more severe pain that may need further medical help. If your pain lasts or interferes with your daily life, there are plenty of options to help you feel better.

Pain that travels from your back down your legs is usually a sign that the nerves in your spine are being squeezed or irritated, often by nearby bones or discs. This nerve compression can also cause feelings of numbness, weakness, or tingling (sometimes called pins and needles) in your legs. If you notice these symptoms, it’s important to get checked by a healthcare professional, as specific treatments can help relieve pressure on the nerves and improve your symptoms.

Compression of the nerves in your spine often starts because of natural wear and tear, known as degeneration, which happens as we get older. Over time, the discs between your bones can lose water and become less flexible, and the bones and joints can develop extra growths called spurs. These changes can all take up space and put pressure on the nerves. Sometimes, an injury such as a fall or sudden movement can also cause parts of the spine to shift and squeeze the nerves. In rare cases, other conditions such as infections, inflammation, or tumours may also be responsible. However, most nerve compression is simply part of the ageing process and is very common.

You should seek medical attention promptly if you have back pain along with:
•    Recent injury or trauma
•    A recent infection or unexplained fever
•    Unintentional weight loss
•    A current or past diagnosis of cancer
If none of these apply to you, your symptoms are more likely due to normal wear and tear. However, if your back pain has lasted more than 6 weeks and hasn’t improved with pain relief or physiotherapy, it’s a good idea to book a medical review for further advice and treatment options.

When you come to see me, I will ask questions about your pain and how it’s impacting your daily life. I will also review your medical history.  A thorough physical examination of your spine will help pinpoint the cause of your symptoms. Depending on what I find, I may arrange a scan of your spine to get more detailed information.

An MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scan is a medical test that uses powerful magnets and radio waves to create detailed pictures of the inside of your body. When you have an MRI, you lie on a table that slides into a large tube-shaped machine. The scan is painless, but you may hear some loud tapping or thumping noises during the procedure. MRIs help doctors see your organs, tissues, and bones in great detail, making it very useful for diagnosing many health conditions. 
An MRI of the spine provides detailed images of your spinal cord, vertebrae, discs, and surrounding tissues. 

After your MRI scan, I will review the images to see if there are any changes or problems that could explain your symptoms. It’s important to remember that many people have changes on their MRI, like disc bulges, that may not be causing any symptoms. We’ll look at your scan results together and discuss the best next steps for treatment based on both what’s found in the scan and your personal symptoms.

Not every finding on your MRI scan is a cause for concern. Many changes seen on MRI, such as wear and tear or small disc bulges, are very common—even in people who have no back pain at all. These findings can be a normal part of ageing. What matters most is how well the scan findings match your symptoms. Your doctor will explain which findings are relevant to your pain and which are harmless changes that do not need treatment.

The right treatment for back pain depends on your symptoms and scan results. Common treatment options include:
•    Painkillers to help manage discomfort
•    Physiotherapy to strengthen your back and improve movement
•    Spinal injections to target inflammation and pain
•    Surgery, which is only considered if other treatments haven’t worked or if there is a specific problem that needs to be fixed
We will discuss which options are most suitable for your situation and make a plan that works for you.

To help make your appointment as efficient and useful as possible:
•    Write down all the symptoms you’re experiencing, including when they started and what makes them better or worse.
•    List any treatments or medications you’ve already tried, and whether they helped.
•    Note any important medical history, including previous surgeries or other health conditions.
•    Bring a list of questions you want to ask.
•    If you’ve had previous scans or reports, bring copies to your appointment.
This preparation helps ensure nothing important is missed and allows us to focus on what matters most to you.