Description

Back pain is one of the most common reasons that people seek medical help or miss work. Back pain is one of the leading causes of disability around the world.

Fortunately, steps can help to prevent or relieve most episodes of back pain, especially for people under 60 years of age. If prevention fails, simple home treatment and use your body correctly, you can often heal your back within a couple of weeks. Surgery is rarely needed to treat back pain.

Symptoms

The back pain may range from muscle ache to shooting, burning or stabbing sensation. In addition, the pain may radiate down the leg. Bending, twisting, lifting, standing or walking may make the pain worse.

When to see a doctor

Most back pain gets better with time with home treatment and self-care, often within a couple of weeks. Contact your health-care provider for back pain that:

  • It lasts more than a couple of weeks.
  • It is severe and does not improve with rest.
  • Extends by one or both legs, especially if it goes under the knee.
  • Causes weakness, numbness, or tingling in one or both legs.
  • It is linked with the loss of unexplained weight.

In some people, back pain can be a sign of a serious medical problem. This is rare, but seek immediate medical attention for back pain that:

  • Causes of bowel or bladder problems.
  • Is accompanied by a fever.
  • It follows a fall, blow to your back or other injury.

Causes

Back pain often develops without a cause that is shown on a test or an imaging study. Conditions commonly linked to back pain include:

  • Muscle or ligament strain. Repeated heavy lifting or a sudden awkward movement can strain back muscles and spinal ligaments. For people with poor physical condition, constant strain on your back can cause painful muscle spasms.
  • Bulging or ruptured disks. The disks act as shock absorbers between the bones of the spine. The soft material inside a disk can bulge or rupture and press on a nerve. However, a bulging or ruptured disc may not cause back pain. Disk disease is often found in the spine of the X-rays, CT scans or Mris done for another reason.
  • Arthritis. Osteoarthritis can affect the lower back. In some cases, arthritis in the spine can lead to a narrowing of the space around the spinal cord, a condition called spinal stenosis.
  • Osteoporosis. The spine of the vertebra can develop painful breaks if the bones become porous and fragile.
  • Ankylosing spondylitis, also called axial spondyloarthritis. This inflammatory disease that can cause some of the bones of the spine to fuse. This makes the spine less flexible.

Risk factors

Anyone can develop back pain, even kids and teens. These factors can increase the risk of developing back pain:

  • Age. The back pain is more common with age, starting around age 30 or 40.
  • The lack of exercise. Weak, unused muscles of the back and abdomen can lead to back pain.
  • The excess of weight. Excess weight puts more stress on the back.
  • Diseases. Some types of arthritis and cancer can contribute to back pain.
  • Improper lifting. Using the back instead of the legs can lead to back pain.
  • Psychological conditions. People prone to depression and anxiety appear to have a greater risk of back pain. Stress can cause muscle tension, which can contribute to back pain.
  • The habit of smoking. People who smoke have higher rates of back pain. This can occur because smoking causes the cough, which can lead to a herniated disc. Smoking can also decrease blood flow to the spine and increase the risk of osteoporosis.

Prevention

The improvement of the physical condition and the learning and practice of how to use the body could help to prevent back pain.

Keep your back strong and healthy:

  • Exercise. Regular low-impact aerobic activities can increase strength and endurance in the back and allowing the muscles to function better. Walking, biking, and swimming are good options because they do not strain or jolt your back. Talk with your health care team about the activities test.
  • Build the muscle strength and flexibility. Abdominal and back muscle exercises, which strengthen the center of the body, help the condition of these muscles so that they work together to support the back.
  • Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight strains the muscles of the back.
  • Stop smoking. Smoking increases the risk of low back pain. The risk increases with the number of cigarettes smoked each day, so stopping smoking can help to reduce this risk.

Avoid turning movements or the tension of the back. To use the body correctly:

  • Stand smart. Not to be left behind. Maintain a neutral pelvic position. When standing for long periods, place one foot on a low footstool to take some of the load from the lower part of the back. Toggle the feet. Good posture can reduce the stress on the muscles of the back.
  • Sit smart. Choose a seat with good lower back support, armrests and a swivel base. Place a pillow or rolled towel in the lower part of the back can keep your typical curve. Keep the knees and hips level. Change your position often, at least every half hour.
  • Lift smart. Avoid heavy lifting if possible. If you have to lift something heavy, let your legs do the work. Keep your back straight, bend only at the knees, and not to twist. Keep the load close to your body. Find a lifting partner if the object is heavy or awkward.

Buyer beware

Because back pain is common, many of the products of the promise of prevention or relief. But there is good evidence that the special shoes, shoe inserts, back supports, or specially designed furniture can help.

In addition, there appears to be a type of mattress that's best for people with back pain. It is probably a matter of what feels most comfortable to each person.

Diagnosis

Your health care professional examine your back and assess your ability to sit, stand, walk and lift your legs. The health professional may also ask you to rate your pain on a scale of zero to 10, and to talk about how the pain affects your daily activities.

These assessments help determine where the pain comes from and how much you can move before pain or spasms of the muscles of the strength to stop. The tests can also help rule out more-serious causes of back pain.

One or more of these tests can help identify the cause of back pain:

  • X-ray. These images show the arthritis or broken bones. But the images alone do not find the conditions that affect the spinal cord, muscles, nerves, or disks.
  • MRIorCTscans. These scans produce images that can reveal a herniated disk or problems with the bones, muscles, tissues, tendons, nerves, ligaments and blood vessels.
  • Blood tests. These can help determine if an infection or other condition that could be causing the pain.
  • Studies of the nerve. Electromyography (EMG) measures the electrical impulses produced by the nerves and the muscles respond to them. This test can confirm the pressure on the nerves caused by a disc herniation or narrowing of the spinal canal, called spinal stenosis.

Treatment

Most back pain gets better within a month using the treatment in the home, especially for people under 60 years of age. However, for many, the pain lasts for several months.

Pain relievers and the use of heat might be all you need. Bed rest is not recommended.

To continue with their activities as much as you can with the back pain. Try light activity, such as walking. Stop the activity that increases pain, but did not prevent the activity of fear, of pain. If home treatments do not work after several weeks, your healthcare provider may recommend stronger medications or other therapies.

Medications

The medicine depend on the type of back pain. These could include:

  • Pain relievers. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Nsaids) such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or naproxen sodium (Aleve), might be of assistance. Take these medications only as directed. Overuse can cause serious side effects. If the pain medicine you can buy without a prescription does not help, your health care professional may be able to suggest the prescription of Nsaids .
  • Muscle relaxants. If it is mild to moderate back pain does not improve with pain relievers, muscle relaxants may help. Muscle relaxants may cause dizziness and drowsiness.
  • Topical pain relievers. These products, such as creams, ointments, ointments and patches, submit to relieve the pain of substances through the skin.
  • Narcotics. Medicines that contain opioids, such as oxycodone or hydrocodone, can be used for a short time with close medical supervision.
  • Antidepressants. Some types of antidepressants, in particular, duloxetine (Cymbalta), and tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline, have been shown to relieve chronic back pain.

Physical therapy

A physical therapist can teach you exercises to increase flexibility, strengthen the back and abdominal muscles, and improve posture. The Regular use of these techniques can help to keep the pain from coming back. Physical therapists also teach you how to modify the movements during an episode of back pain in order to avoid burning the symptoms of pain, while you stay active.

Surgical and other procedures

Procedures that are used to treat back pain may include:

  • Cortisone injections, also called injections. If other measures do not relieve the pain that radiates down the leg, a cortisone injection, in addition to a local anesthetic could help. A cortisone injection into the space around the spinal cord helps to decrease the inflammation around the nerve roots, but the pain relief often lasts only a month or two.
  • Radiofrequency ablation. In this procedure, a thin needle is inserted through the skin near the area causing the pain. The Radio waves are transmitted through the needle to the damage of the nerves nearby. Damage to the nerves that interferes with the pain signals to the brain.
  • Implanted nerve stimulators. The devices implanted beneath the skin may deliver electrical impulses to specific nerves to block pain signals.
  • Surgery. The surgery to create more space within the vertebral column it is sometimes useful to people who have increased muscle weakness, or back pain that goes down the leg. These problems may be related to a herniated disc or other conditions that narrow the spaces where the nerves pass through the spinal column.

Alternative medicine

A number of alternative treatments may relieve the back pain. Always discuss the benefits and risks with your health care professional before starting a new therapeutic alternative.
Alternative treatments may include:

  • Acupuncture. An acupuncture practitioner inserts fine, sterile needles into the skin at specific points on the body. A growing body of scientific evidence indicates that acupuncture may be useful in the treatment of back pain.
  • The chiropractic care. A chiropractor manipulates the spine to relieve the pain.
  • The massage. For the back pain caused by tight or overworked muscles, massage can help.
  • Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, also known as TENS. A battery-powered device placed on the skin provides the electrical impulses in the painful area. Studies have shown conflicting results on whether the DOZENS of works for the treatment of back pain.
  • Yoga. There are several types of yoga, a broad discipline that involves the practice of specific postures or poses, breathing exercises, and relaxation techniques. Yoga can stretch and strengthen the muscles and improve posture. People with back pain may need to adjust certain poses if symptoms worsen.

Preparing for your appointment

If your back pain persists despite home treatment, consult your health care professional. Here's some information to help you prepare for your appointment.

What you can do

Make a list of:

  • Key personal information, including mental or emotional stress factors in your life.
  • Their symptoms, and when they began.
  • All the drugs, vitamins, and other supplements that you take, including over-dose.
  • Questions to ask your provider.

Have a friend or family member, if possible, to help you remember the information that you receive.

For back pain, questions to ask your health care professional include:

  • What is the most likely cause of my back pain?
  • Need proof?
  • What treatment approach do you recommend?
  • If you are recommending medications, what are the possible side effects?
  • I have other medical conditions. How can I best manage them together?
  • How long will I need treatment?
  • What self-care measures should I try?
  • What can I do to prevent back pain from returning?

What to expect from your doctor

Your healthcare provider is likely to ask questions such as:

  • Have you ever injured your back?
  • Is the pain constant?
  • Does the pain affect your ability to function? How?
  • Do you have other symptoms in addition to back pain?
  • Do heavy physical work?
  • Do you exercise regularly? What kind of activities do you do?
  • How often do you feel depressed or anxious?
  • Do you sleep well?
  • What treatments or self-care measures that have been tried up to now? Nothing has helped?
Symptoms and treatment of Back pain