If lower back pain keeps coming back, limits your everyday activities or spreads into your leg, pay attention. "Exercise can be part of the care, but it needs to be adapted to your condition. Definitely don't put off an examination. The most important thing is to find out what is causing the pain. Worsening symptoms or pain shooting down the leg are situations where I would not put off seeing a doctor," says Dr. Vojtěch Rybka of Regen Clinic. An MRI is not automatically the first step. Whether further tests are needed depends on the symptoms and clinical findings.
You struggle to straighten up in the morning, after working at the computer you look for a position that brings relief, and when planning a trip you wonder what your back can handle. When situations like these keep repeating, a practical question arises: what to try next and whom to turn to?
Why does back pain keep coming back?
Back pain can have various causes, and it may not be possible to identify a single structure that explains it. That is why the course of the problem matters during the examination: when it appears, what changes it, what treatment has already been tried and what the person needs to manage in everyday life.
What the doctor will ask you:
- Where exactly do you feel the pain and how long has it lasted?
- Does it stay in your back, or does it spread into your buttock or leg?
- What makes it worse and what brings relief?
- What does it limit the most — sleep, walking, work, or sport?
You don't have to work out yourself whether it is a muscle, a disc or another problem. The purpose of the examination is to assess the situation and determine the right next step.
Bring reports from previous treatment and any available test results to your visit. It helps when the patient tells us everything they have already tried. Even knowing that a certain approach helped for only a few days can be useful when planning further care.
What if the pain shoots down the leg? Could it be sciatica?
Sciatica refers to problems associated with irritation or compression of the sciatic nerve. A typical sign can be pain spreading through the buttock into the leg, sometimes with tingling, altered sensation or weakness. According to Dr. Rybka, however, the location of the pain alone does not determine the diagnosis.
Describe to the doctor how far the pain reaches and whether the sensation or strength in your leg is changing. If the weakness is getting rapidly worse or any of the warning signs below appear, do not wait for a regular appointment.
When is emergency care needed?
Seek emergency medical help immediately if back pain is newly accompanied by difficulty urinating or controlling your bowels, numbness in the groin, or significant or rapidly worsening weakness in the legs. Pain after a serious injury also requires urgent assessment. In case of fever, general exhaustion or rapidly worsening pain, contact a doctor without delay.
Which doctor should you see about back pain?
Your general practitioner can be the first point of contact. Depending on the symptoms, care by an orthopedist, a neurologist or a rehabilitation physician may follow. At Regen Clinic, MUDr. Vojtěch Rybka, Ph.D., specializes in back pain treatment. As a rehabilitation physician, he can assess the condition of the whole body comprehensively and uncover hidden causes of back pain.
What does an examination at Regen Clinic look like?
At Regen Clinic Prague you can book an examination yourself, by phone or online. You don't need a referral from a doctor. During the visit we will discuss the course of your problems and previous treatment, carry out an examination and explain our recommendations. If further diagnostics or another specialist facility is appropriate, we will recommend the next step. The initial consultation is key, which is why we always set aside enough time for you. You will have time to ask about everything in detail.
Depending on the findings, the plan may include modern biological injection treatment, LightForce therapy, physiotherapy, or a combination of methods. When proposing care, the doctor will explain in detail what you can expect from it and how its benefit will be evaluated.
At Regen Clinic, we will also focus together on your practical goal: for example, getting through a working day, a longer walk or a return to your favorite sport. We adapt our recommendations to your health condition and the course of your problems.
This text provides general information and does not replace an individual examination. The choice of treatment and its results depend on the cause of the problem and your health condition.