Diskitis

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Intervertebral disk

Skeletal spine

Disk inflammation

The goal is to treat the cause of the inflammation and reduce pain. Anti-staphylococcal antibiotics may be given in cases of suspected infections. Auto-immune diseases are often treated with anti-inflammatory medications.

Resistant cases may be treated with steroids, although the diagnosis of infection should be excluded first. Pain may be relieved with oral pain killers (analgesics) or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS); consult your health care provider for the best choice of medications.

Bed rest or immobilization (which may require a body cast) may be recommended in some cases.

With infectious causes, full recovery following treatment is expected and chronic back pain related to this condition is very rare. For auto-immune causes, the outcome depends on the particular condition, but these are often chronic illnesses.

• Persistent back pain (rare)
• Side effects of medications

Call your health care provider if your child has persistent back pain or problems with standing and walking that seem unusual for his or her age.

Review Date: 10/23/2006
Reviewed By: Thomas N. Joseph, MD, Private Practice specializing in Orthopaedics, subspecialty Foot and Ankle, Camden Bone & Joint, Camden, SC. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.