How can my mother get rid of back pain?

Q: My 58 years old mother is suffering from severe back pain for the last 6 years. She is 150 cm tall and weighs 80 kg. All the doctors have suggested physiotherapy but she is overweight and unable to do that. The scan report says that there is damage in the spinal cord (bruised in spine from C2 to C7 is reported in MRI scan). How can she get rid of the back pain? Can she go for a surgery at this age?

A:At the outset let me clarify that there is no age barrier for any kind of surgery and actually 58 years is young enough unless your mother is also suffering with other serious medical problems. Lesions in the C2-7 will not only cause localised pain in the neck, it will also cause symptoms in the upper extremity like pain, numbness, tingling sensation, and weakness in the arm, forearm or hand. Does your mother have any of these symptoms? Lesion at this area should not normally cause backache. Backache commonly involves lumbosacral area. I guess she might be having two different problems at the same time. I think you should get an MRI of the Lumbosacral area too and then see Spine Specialist (either Orthopaedic or Neurosurgeon) who can go over all the MRIs with you and then suggest you an appropriate treatment either surgical or non-surgical.