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Tests and diagnosis
By Mayo Clinic staffDiagnostic tests aren't usually necessary to confirm the cause of your back pain. However, if you do see your doctor for back pain, he or she will:
- Examine your back and assess your ability to sit, stand, walk and lift your legs
- May also test your reflexes with a rubber reflex hammer
These assessments help determine where the pain comes from, how much you can move before pain forces you to stop and whether you have muscle spasms. They will also help rule out more serious causes of back pain.
If there is reason to suspect that you have a tumor, fracture, infection or other specific condition that may be causing your back pain, your doctor may order one or more tests:
- Blood and urine tests. Your doctor may order these lab tests to determine whether an underlying disease or infection may be contributing to your back pain.
- X-ray. These images show the alignment of your bones and whether you have arthritis or broken bones. X-ray images won't directly show problems with your spinal cord, muscles, nerves or disks.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computerized tomography (CT) scans. These scans can generate images that may reveal herniated disks or problems with bones, muscles, tissue, tendons, nerves, ligaments and blood vessels.
- Bone scan. In rare cases, your doctor may use a bone scan to look for bone tumors or compression fractures caused by osteoporosis. In this procedure, you'll receive an injection of a small amount of a radioactive substance (tracer) into one of your veins. The substance collects in your bones and allows your doctor to detect bone problems using a special camera.
- Nerve studies (electromyography, or EMG). This test measures the electrical impulses produced by the nerves and the responses of your muscles. Studies of your nerve-conduction pathways can confirm nerve compression caused by herniated disks or narrowing of your spinal canal (spinal stenosis).
- Devereaux M. Low back pain. Medical Clinics of North America. 2009;93:477.
- Wheeler SG, et al. Approach to the diagnosis and evaluation of low back pain in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Dec. 17, 2009.
- Kohatsu W. Low back pain. In: Rakel RE. Integrative Medicine. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/175588812-4/930351402/1494/110.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2954-0..50067-3_3269. Accessed Dec. 17, 2009.
- Knight CL, et al. Treatment of acute low back pain. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Dec. 17, 2009.
- Last A, et al. Chronic low back pain: Evaluation and management. American Family Physician. 2009;79:1067.
- Chou R. Subacute and chronic low back pain: Pharmacologic and noninterventional treatment. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Dec. 17, 2009.
- Yoga for health: An introduction. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/yoga/introduction.htm. Accessed Dec. 17, 2009.
- Low back pain fact sheet. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/backpain/detail_backpain.htm#119483102. Accessed Dec. 17, 2009.
- Laskowski ER (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Dec. 26, 2009.
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