Pain Location Guide
Low Back Pain / Leg Numbness
腰背痛和腳麻未必只是肌肉疲勞，也可能與椎間盤、神經或腰椎管狹窄有關。醫生評估有助分辨是否需要影像檢查。
若腰痛延伸至臀部、小腿或腳部，或行路距離明顯縮短，應了解是否涉及神經受壓。
Common Causes
Common Causes Of Low Back Pain / Leg Numbness
Pain in the same area may come from different tissues, including joints, tendons, ligaments, nerves or bones. The following are common possibilities, but diagnosis requires clinical assessment.
Low Back Pain
可由肌肉、關節、椎間盤或姿勢負荷引起。
Sciatica
常見為臀部至小腿的放射痛、麻痺或刺痛。
椎間盤突出
椎間盤壓迫神經時可引起腳痛、腳麻或無力。
腰椎管狹窄
常見行一段路後腳痛或腳軟，坐下或彎腰後稍為改善。
梨狀肌綜合症
臀部深層痛楚可刺激坐骨神經，與腰椎問題相似。
骨質疏鬆性脊椎骨折
長者或骨質疏鬆人士跌倒後背痛，要留意壓縮性骨折。
When To Seek Urgent Medical Help
- 大小便控制困難
- 腳部明顯或突然無力
- 創傷後嚴重背痛
- 發燒或懷疑感染
- 長者跌倒後持續背痛或不能站立
How Does The Doctor Diagnose It?
醫生會檢查腰椎活動、神經功能、肌力、感覺及步姿。X 光可評估排列、退化及骨折；MRI 常用於了解椎間盤、神經受壓或腰椎管狹窄；CT 可協助了解骨折或骨性結構。
Treatment Direction
治療按診斷而定，可包括止痛及消炎藥、物理治療、核心訓練、活動調整、神經痛藥物或注射治療。若神經受壓嚴重、功能受影響或保守治療未能改善，才考慮手術治療。
Rehabilitation And Prevention
復康重點是改善核心控制、髖部活動、步姿及搬運姿勢，並逐步回復工作和運動，減少反覆腰痛。
If pain persists, affects activity or follows an injury, consider booking an orthopaedic specialist assessment.
Book Orthopaedic AssessmentWhen To Seek Help
When Should You See An Orthopaedic Specialist?
If pain persists, keeps recurring or already affects daily life, you should not simply endure it. Early diagnosis can help identify the source of the problem, guide suitable treatment and reduce the chance of worsening or repeated injury.
Pain Does Not Settle
If pain has not improved after one to two weeks, or keeps recurring, consider professional assessment.
Affects Daily Life
If pain affects walking, stairs, work, exercise or sleep, it should not be delayed for too long.
Joint Swelling, Locking Or Instability
Swelling, locking, weakness or repeated sprains in joints such as the knee, shoulder or ankle may involve ligaments, meniscus, tendons or cartilage.
Numbness Or Weakness
Numbness, tingling or weakness in the limbs may be related to nerve compression or spinal problems and should be assessed early.
Pain After Fall Or Sports Injury
Obvious pain, swelling, difficulty moving or inability to bear weight after injury should be assessed to exclude fracture or significant soft tissue injury.
Pain After A Fall In Older Adults
In older adults, even mild pain after a fall may still indicate an occult fracture, especially in the hip, wrist or spine.
Patient FAQ
FAQ
No. Many orthopaedic problems can first be managed without surgery, such as medication, physiotherapy, posture and activity modification, braces, injections or rehabilitation training. The specialist’s role is to identify the cause of pain and recommend suitable options.
In general, it is better to see a doctor first for symptom review and clinical examination, then decide whether X-ray, MRI, ultrasound or other tests are needed. Different pain problems require different tests.
If pain recurs, becomes more frequent, affects exercise or daily activity, or is associated with numbness, swelling, weakness or locking, consider an orthopaedic assessment.
Minor strains may improve with rest. However, if there is obvious swelling, inability to bear weight, instability, limited movement, severe pain or suspected fracture, seek medical care promptly.
Not necessarily. Older adults, especially those at risk of osteoporosis, may still have an occult fracture or spinal compression fracture even if they can walk. Persistent hip, back, wrist or shoulder pain should be assessed.
Many orthopaedic problems benefit from rehabilitation after treatment to improve range of movement, strength, balance and function. The doctor will recommend a suitable plan based on the condition and recovery progress.
Pain does not always need to be endured. Early assessment may help prevent worsening.
Many orthopaedic problems do not require immediate surgery. An orthopaedic specialist will first understand your symptoms, perform a clinical examination and arrange X-ray, MRI, ultrasound or other investigations if needed, before recommending suitable options such as medication, physiotherapy, injections, braces, rehabilitation training or surgery when appropriate.
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