How is spinal pain diagnosed?

To diagnose your spinal or back pain, your doctor will consider your symptoms and your medical history and will conduct a physical exam. Your doctor might also have you undergo an imaging scan, such as an X-ray, a computed tomography (CT) scan, or a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. An imaging scan will provide your doctor with a detailed picture of your spine. If your doctor thinks a nerve in your spine might be compressed, you might undergo a test of your nerve and muscle functions called electromyography (EMG). In some cases, your doctor may have your blood or urine analyzed to check for other illnesses that might be causing your spinal pain.