Back pain, neck pain, leg pain and numbness can come from several different spine conditions, and each one is treated differently. This page helps you understand which condition your symptoms may point to, which ones usually settle without surgery, and when you should see a spine specialist in Lahore. Each condition has its own detailed page, linked below.
Most spine problems improve with time, medicines, activity changes and physiotherapy. Surgery is only advised when nerve pressure is causing severe pain that does not settle, weakness that is getting worse, or emergency warning signs.
The soft centre of a spinal disc bulges through its outer ring and presses on a nerve. Typical signs are sudden back or neck pain followed by pain shooting down one leg or arm, often worse on sitting, bending or coughing. It is most common between the ages of 25 and 55. Most slip discs improve within 6 to 12 weeks without an operation.
Sciatica is not a disease in itself but a description of pain travelling from the buttock down the back of the leg, sometimes to the foot, along the sciatic nerve. A slip disc is the commonest cause in younger adults; spinal stenosis and spondylolisthesis are more common causes in older people. Treatment depends on the cause found on examination and MRI.
Gradual narrowing of the spinal canal, usually from age-related thickening of joints and ligaments. In the lower back, the classic sign is heaviness, pain or numbness in both legs after walking a certain distance, which eases when you sit or bend forward. In the neck, narrowing can press on the spinal cord and cause clumsy hands and poor balance.
Wear-and-tear changes in the discs and joints of the neck. Many people have it on X-ray without symptoms. When it causes problems, these range from neck stiffness and headache at the back of the head, to arm pain and tingling from a trapped nerve, to spinal cord pressure in more advanced cases.
One vertebra slips forward on the one below. In older adults this usually follows degeneration of the spinal joints; in younger people and athletes it can follow a stress fracture (spondylolysis). It causes low back pain, tight hamstrings and sometimes sciatica or leg pain on walking. Some cases need stabilisation surgery.
A break in one or more vertebrae, either from injury such as a road accident or fall, or from weakened bones (osteoporosis) in older people, where it can happen after a minor fall or even lifting. Stable fractures often heal with a brace and pain control; unstable fractures or those pressing on nerves may need surgery.
These are only guides. Symptoms overlap, and the cause is confirmed by examination and, where needed, an MRI, CT or X-ray.
Go to the nearest emergency department straight away if back or neck pain comes with any of the following:
Treatment is chosen for the specific condition, not just the pain. Most patients start with non-surgical care: short-term medicines, staying gently active, physiotherapy and, for some, a targeted injection. When surgery is needed, the aim is to use the smallest safe operation. Options include endoscopic spine surgery and endoscopic discectomy for selected disc and nerve problems, and decompression or minimally invasive spinal fixation when the spine is narrowed or unstable. The spine surgery page explains these operations and when each is used.
No. Most patients with slip disc, sciatica or cervical spondylosis improve without an operation. Surgery is considered when symptoms are severe and persistent, nerves are weakening, or there are emergency signs.
If you already have one, bring the images and the report. If not, an examination comes first; an MRI is ordered only when the result would change your treatment.
Usually not. Most back pain without leg symptoms is mechanical and settles with activity and physiotherapy. Red-flag symptoms listed above are the exception.
Yes. For example, spondylolisthesis often causes spinal stenosis, and both can cause sciatica. This is why the full picture is assessed before deciding on treatment.
Dr. Khawar Anwar is a Consultant Neurosurgeon & Spine Surgeon at PINS / Lahore General Hospital, Lahore, with over 10 years of experience in brain and spine surgery. He sees patients in Lahore and Gujranwala and focuses on minimally invasive and endoscopic techniques where they are suitable for the patient.
See the full list on the certifications page or read more about Dr. Khawar Anwar.
See all clinics, maps and timings on the locations page.
To book, call or WhatsApp 0333-7574732 and tell us which clinic and day suits you. Please bring your MRI or CT scan (films and CD), reports and a list of your current medicines to the consultation. For sudden weakness, loss of bladder or bowel control, a sudden severe headache or a head or spine injury, go to the nearest emergency department first.