With back pain to rheumatologist?

Chronic back pain at a young age should be clarified with the rheumatologist

08/12/2014

Back pain is one of the most common complaints in Germany. Most of these are associated with permanent stress and poor posture, but can hide behind persistent back pain in the younger years, a rheumatic-inflammatory disease, the news agency reported „dpa“ citing the German Society of Rheumatology (DGRh). A visit to the rheumatologist is therefore highly recommended for chronic back pain.

As a possible cause of chronic back pain in people under the age of 45 years called the DGRh, for example, the axial spondyloarthritis (SpA), which is initially seen as a rheumatic inflammatory disease of the spine initially deep-seated, often occurring at night back pain and a stiff spine. If the back pain occurs over a period of three months or longer, then a specialist review is required.

Symptoms often misinterpreted
According to the DGRh, the early symptoms of SpA are often misinterpreted by the general practitioner as the symptoms may also occur in non-inflammatory diseases. A typical indication of spondyloarthritis is for example, „that the symptoms improve during exercise, they usually occur in the second half of the night and they can be alleviated by anti-inflammatory analgesics“, reports the „dpa“ with reference to the explanations of the DGRh. If these symptoms apply, the medical association strongly recommends a rheumatologist. This can diagnose the rheumatic-inflammatory disease, the most common subtype of which is ankylosing spondylitis, relatively quickly and reliably. (Fp)