Understanding The Back Pain

Back pain is one of the most common physical ailments that affects eight out of ten people at some point in their lives. Back pain can be constant, dull ache or a sudden sharp pain. If it lasts for more than three months, it is called chronic back pain. In more than 85% of the cases, the cause of pain is not identified despite thorough medical examination. For 90% of the people, the symptoms of back pain improve within two months, irrespective of the treatment given, or even if no treatment is given.

Causes and Cures of Back Pain

Back pain is not a disease, but a symptom of other disorders such as kidney disease, appendicitis, pelvic infections, bladder infections and ovarian disorders among others. Nerve root syndrome, musculoskeletal pan syndromes, infections of bones of the spine and cancerous tumors can also cause the pain in the lower back. However, wrong posture, overuse or injury are the most common causes of pain in the lower back.

Primary symptom of low back pain is the pain in lumbosacral area, and this pain may radiate down the side, front or back of the legs. Sometimes, the pain may become worse during night, or after prolonged sitting. You may also experience the weakness or numbness in the leg that receives the nerve supply from compressed nerve.

There are 11 red flags identified by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality that must be evaluated by the doctors when examining the person with back pain. These red flags include recent significant trauma, mild trauma, history of prolonged steroid use, prior history of cancer, history of osteoporosis, temperature over 100 degrees, history of recent infection, unexplained weight loss, IV drug use and pain becoming worse at rest. If any of these red-flags are present, you person needs to go to the hospital’s emergency room.

Doctors usually recommend resuming normal activities as soon as you can. However, avoid the activities that put additional strain on the back if you are suffering from the pain in that area. Exercise is helpful for people suffering from chronic back pain, and it is also helpful to sleep with pillow between the knees. Nonprescription medications such as Ibuprofen, Acetaminophen, and topical agents can be used to provide immediate relief from pain. Some people also benefit from the use of heat or ice, however never put ice directly on the skin and do not use the heating pad on high.

Unless cauda equine syndrome or sciatica is present, surgery is not a favorable option to cure the lower back pain. Surgery is useful only if the person is suffering from certain progressive nerve problem caused by the herniated discs. Spinal manipulation, acupuncture, exercises and transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation are other therapies that can be used to cure the back pain.