Back pain in Birmingham

Back pain can affect people of all ages and will often have a significant impact on everyday life. Whether it means somebody can no longer take part in their favourite sport or exercise, struggle to carry shopping in from the car or find it difficult to get out of bed in the mornings, unmanaged back pain can be incredibly challenging to live with.

Effective treatment for back pain can make a huge difference to daily life. If you are struggling with any type of back pain, you may find that rest and over-the-counter pain relief medication are helpful in relieving your symptoms. When these don't give you the relief you need, it can be difficult to know what else you can do to relieve your pain and feel more comfortable.

As back pain has a wide variety of possible causes, an accurate diagnosis is an essential first step to get you the help you need. For this reason, a consultant who specialises in the assessment and treatment of back pain can be invaluable in helping you to get effective, reliable pain relief as soon as possible, and to then monitor and support you as you return to a more active lifestyle once more.

At The Priory Hospital in Birmingham, our team of highly experienced consultant spinal surgeons provide comprehensive assessment and investigation of back pain, and a range of treatments to manage and relieve symptoms. They would be delighted to meet with you and help you get the support you need.

Many people will experience a sore or stiff back at some point in their lives. This may be felt as:

• Middle or lower back pain
• Neck pain
• Sciatica (pain radiating down the leg)
• Referred pain (pain in the hip, buttock or thigh)
• Numbness or weakness in one or both legs
• Spinal deformity

People will also experience and describe their back pain in different ways. These may include:

• Sharp and severe back pain, or dull/aching
• Constant or intermittent pain
• Only in one specific part of the back, or a more general, widespread pain

Depending on the cause of the back pain (see section below), it may come on very quickly without warning or develop slowly over time.

It is important not to ignore any type of back pain, particularly when it does not resolve naturally over time. If you have had any type of pain in your back for more than six weeks, it is sensible to see a doctor for assessment and advice. By getting expert guidance, you will get clarity about the best way forward without unnecessary waits or delays.

If you are struggling with back pain, we can arrange a private consultation for you here in Birmingham where you can talk with an experienced consultant about your back pain. 

Many people with back pain will have a good idea of the cause. Often, it will be the result of:

• A sports injury
• Increasing activity levels too quickly, without giving the body time to adjust
• Sleeping with the head at a different angle (possibly because of a new pillow?)
• Lifting a heavy weight (this is common in the spring and summer, when many people start spending more time gardening, lifting heavy pots or bags of soil around)

In other cases, there may be no obvious cause of the back pain.

Any type of back pain can have a debilitating effect on physical health. If the problem persists for a period of time, mental health can also be affected (often quite significantly).

While it may sometimes be easy to dismiss or ignore mild back pain it is much harder to ignore severe symptoms, particularly when they cause your movement and function to become limited.

Whether you know the cause of your back pain or not, our consultants at The Priory can carry out comprehensive assessment to confirm a diagnosis and to plan the most suitable treatment for you.

When you first meet your consultant at The Priory Hospital, they will talk with you about your back pain. They will want to know when it started, whether it has been getting worse, how it is affecting daily life and any other symptoms you may be experiencing. 

They will usually carry out a clinical examination of your spine, from head to pelvis. Your hip and leg may also be examined if you have any referred pain in these areas, or if they suspect your back pain may be referred from a problem in one of these areas.

While this may all that is needed to confirm a diagnosis, X-rays and an MRI scan will also often be needed. MRI scans are particularly helpful when investigating spinal problems, as they can show inflammation and bulging discs.

The diagnostic facilities in the hospital are first class, with X-ray, MRI, CT and ultrasound all quickly and easily arranged for you if required.

Once the results of any investigations are back, your consultant will meet with you to discuss the diagnosis and to talk through suitable treatment options with you (see section below).

Most people will have questions about their diagnosis or treatment, and your consultant will be very happy to discuss these with you.

Many people with back pain will find that it eases and resolves naturally over time. However, in other cases, symptoms may not only remain but get worse over time.

Fortunately, there are a range of treatments for back pain, both operative and non-operative. We asked Professor Ishaque, Professor of Spinal Surgery about back pain treatments in Birmingham. Here is what he told us:

“My ethos is that surgery really must be the last resort. It is important to bear in mind that the majority of back pain issues can be resolved once a formal diagnosis has been made by a back pain specialist using non-surgical approaches with a plan that is structured and focussed using spinal injections in a targeted manner.”

Professor M Ishaque, Professor of Spinal Surgery

Treatments available at The Priory for back pain include:

• Core muscle rehabilitation and physiotherapy
• Pain relief medication 
• Spinal injections
• Open or keyhole (minimally invasive) surgery

The priority of any treatment is to get you out of your back pain quickly and safely. As Professor Ishaque said above, surgery for back pain is only used when other treatments are not able to effectively manage the pain.

If spinal surgery is a suitable option for treating your back pain, your consultant will discuss this with you, explaining how the operation will be done, the benefits you should expect to see, and any potential complications you need to be aware of before making a decision.

The advantage of private care at The Priory is that every stage of your care, from initial consultation through to treatment, recovery and discharge, you will be seen by a consultant. 

Details of our fixed price packages can be seen here.

When you choose to go private with Circle Health Group, you can expect:

• Flexible appointment times and locations to fit your routine
• The freedom to choose which hospital and consultant suit your needs
• Personalised, consultant-led treatment plans tailored to your individual needs
• Comfortable and safe private facilities maintained by expert multidisciplinary teams
• Support by the same compassionate clinical team from beginning to end
• Affordable, fixed-price packages with aftercare included
• Flexible payment options to help you spread the cost of your care

If you would like to learn more about this procedure, book your appointment online today or call a member of our team directly on 0141 300 5009.

Content reviewed by Mr George McKay in September 2022. Next review due September 2025.