A 55-year-old individual complains about severe low back pain, and the primary goal of this paper is to evaluate required examination, treatment, and follow-up procedures. When discussing this case, it is necessary to obtain additional medical history about different illnesses, similar incidents, social life, and demographics of the patient. At the same time, it is essential to conduct an examination of other organ systems, as they may unveil important details. As for techniques, a physician has to evaluate the whole spine while focusing on specific areas with the help of palpation and motion checks (Olson, 2015). This approach will assist in indicating the source and location of the pain. Defining the place of the low back pain is important, as, otherwise, its causes are difficult to determine. In turn, it is vital to conduct a diagnosis of vascular and neurological systems with the help of methods such as tests for neurological issues (Olson, 2015). This technique will define the potential causes of pain and its connection to the functioning of other systems. A combination of these factors will be used to clarify the diagnosis and propose the most effective treatment for the patient.
Nonetheless, in some instances, x-rays and other types of imaging exams can be considered vital. In this case, using x-ray scans will reassure the doctor and the patient about the nature of the diagnosis (Allan, Spooner, & Ivers, 2012). Apart from that, there are some “red flags” of low back pain to be considered. In this case, they may refer to the issues with urinary function, neurological deficit, other chronic illnesses, deformity of spines, and particular age (greater than 55 years old) (Smedley, Dick, & Sadhra, 2013). In the case of the patient, a profound diagnosis of other systems is needed to determine the presence of any red flags.
Based on the factors depicted above, it is possible to determine pharmacological and physical measures to manage low back pain. In the first place, it is necessary to relieve pain with the help of medications such as Ibuprofen. Other interventions are dependent on the diagnosis and may refer to surgery, traction, and electrotherapy (Smedley et al., 2013). These aspects are the basic treatments that are used to diminish pain and its consequences, but specialized medicines and procedures may be prescribed when the diagnosis is specified. Alternatively, one of the complementary treatments is manual therapy since it can relieve pain and speed up the recovery of the patient (Olson, 2015). Another potential therapy that can be used as a prevention strategy is exercise (Smedley et al., 2013). Nonetheless, the workout has to be designed individually based on the condition of the patient. Following these recommendations will help the patient minimize the presence of similar incidents in the future and accelerate the recovery process.
In the end, a Circle of Caring can help the patient by offering moral support and expanding knowledge to avoid similar incidents in the future. Consequently, follow-up procedures have to focus on ensuring that the patient has a clear understanding of his condition and aware of what medicine has to be used in the case of an emergency. At the same time, the patient should be instructed on different exercises that can be practiced to prevent pain. They can be described as stretching the lower back, various workouts with exercise balls, and crunches. Doing these exercises regularly will keep the muscles in tonus and decrease the levels of pain. Based on the analysis conducted above, it could be estimated that the patient should be permitted to return to work only after the full recovery that might take up to four weeks.
References
Allan, M., Spooner, R., & Ivers, N. (2012). X-ray scans for non-specific low back pain. Canadian Family Physician, 58(3), 275.
Olson, K. (2015). Manual physical therapy of the spine. Berlin, Germany: Elsevier Health Sciences.
Smedley, J., Dick, F., & Sadhra, S. (2013). Oxford handbook of occupational health. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.