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Back Pain - Back Pain symptom, treatment, causes

What is Back Pain ?

The spine is a very complex structure that is never still, and it is involved in the slightest movement, including breathing. Our upright posture puts additional stress on the neck and the small of the back. which are the commonest sites of backache. Most people suffer from it at some time in their lives The onset of back pain may be sharp and sudden, or an ache may develop gradually over several hours or during the night. There may be an obvious cause such as an injury, unaccustomed activity, strain during strenuous movement (lifting, digging, twisting the trunk), or jolting (from travelling over rough roads, for example). But back pain can begin after what seems to be a trivial twist or stretch, or it may bear no relation to any particular activity. Pain and stiffness are usually confined to one region of the back.

The majority of backaches that affect otherwise well people are the result of minor strains or injuries to the joints between the vertebrae and their surrounding ligaments and muscles. The main source of pain and stiffness is the protective spasm of muscles around the injured part. When back pain is the result of a minor strain, about 70 per cent of sufferers will have recovered within a week and over 90 percent within a month. This type of backache is seldom a symptom of serious disease, but is a warning that care must be taken to protect the back from further injury and thus prevent chronic pain and disability.

The treatment for acute symptoms of uncomplicated back strain consists of rest, local heat, and simple painkillers such as aspirin. If you have pain when resting, or if it is severe enough to restrict most activities, or there is no improvement in 2 to 3 days, consult your doctor. You may need X-rays and other investigations to see whether there is any vertebral or disc injury, and muscle-relaxants and stronger anti-inflammatory drugs to relieve the symptoms more effectively. Early physio-therapy or manipulation often speeds recovery. Your physiotherapist can recommend exercises, postural correction, and care in movement to help you avoid further back problems.

Back pain (also known as "dorsopathy") is pain felt in the back that may come from the muscles, nerves, bones, joints or other structures in the spine. Four out of five adults have at least one bout of back pain sometime during life. In fact, back pain is one of the most common reasons for health care visits and missed work. Acute or short-term low back pain generally lasts from a few days to a few weeks. Most acute back pain is the result of trauma to the lower back or a disorder such as arthritis. The pain may be constant or intermittent, stay in one place or refer or radiate to other areas. Sometimes a pain may develop immediately after you lift something heavy, or after an awkward twisting movement. Doctors usually refer to back pain as acute if it has been present for less than a month and chronic if it lasts for a longer period of time. The pain may be felt in the neck (and might radiate into the arm and hand ), in the upper back, or in the low back, and may include symptoms other than pain, such as weakness, numbness or tingling. Low back pain is not a specific disease. Rather, it is a symptom that may occur from a variety of different processes. Because back pain is sometimes difficult to treat, a better understanding of the causes of this problem will assist patients in their recovery from back pain.

Back pain isn't disease in itself - it's a symptom of injury to the back. Muscle strains are the most common cause of low back pain. Most back pain does not signify any serious underlying problem, and will sort its self out within a few days to a few weeks. Back Pain, especially in the lower back (lumbar spine), is a problem that most people experience at some time in their lives. Simple home treatment and proper body mechanics will often heal your back within a few weeks and keep it functional for the long haul. Surgery is rarely needed to treat back pain. Back pain is one of humanity's most frequent complaints. In the U.S., acute low back pain (also called lumbago ) is the fifth most common reason for all physician visits. The first attack of low back pain typically occurs between the ages of 30 and 40. Back pain becomes more common with age. Some causes of back pain, including disc disease, may have a genetic component. Back pain may be combined with pain into the leg, travelling down below the knee, this is otherwise known as sciatica, because the main nerve to the leg (the sciatic nerve) is being irritated by pressure on it. Most back pain syndromes are due to inflammation, especially in the acute phase, which typically lasts for two weeks to three months.

Causes of Back pain

The common causes and risk factor's of Back pain include the following:

• The main cause for back pain is a strain of the muscles, or other soft structures (eg ligaments and tendons) connected to the back bones (vertebrae).
• Excessive exertion.
• Uterus malposition.
• Endometriosis.
• Unaccustomed strain on the back.
• Threatened miscarriage.
• Onset of labor.
• Some causes of back pain, including disc disease, may have a genetic component.
• Urinary tract infection.
• Race can be a factor in back problems.

Symptoms of Back pain

Some sign and symptoms related to Back pain are as follows:

• A pain or ache somewhere between the bottom of the ribs, at the back, and the top of the legs.
• Fever.
• The pain may become worse with activity.
• You may have numbness or weakness in the part of the leg that receives its nerve supply from a compressed nerve.
• A sudden loss of bladder or bowel control.
• Unable to pass urine.
• Inflammation or swelling on the back.

Treatment of Back pain

Here is list of the methods to treat Back pain:

• Use simple pain killers, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen if necessary.
• Your doctor may prescribe nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or in some cases, a muscle relaxant, to relieve mild to moderate back pain that doesn't get better with over-the-counter pain relievers.
• Sleeping with a pillow between the knees while lying on one side may increase comfort. Some doctors recommend lying on your back with a pillow under your knees.
• Apply a cold compress (bag of frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel) to reduce the initial inflammation, apply heat (heating pad, hot water bottle or hot shower) after a few days to ease muscular pain.
• A muscle relaxant may be prescribed but only for a few days.

Chronic back pain, lower, low, upper back pain

Chronic back pain associated with other symptoms (such as fever) should always be investigated as it may be a sign of disease of the vertebrae or spinal joints, and occasionally may be caused by disorders of the abdominal or pelvic organs, particularly the< kidneys and reproductive organs

Prevention Tips

• Travel slowly over rough roads.
• Ensure that your vehicle has well-padded seats, which will help reduce the amount of vibration being passed up the spine.
• Support your lower back with a small cushion or lumbar roll.
• Tilt the seat backwards to about 110°to reduce vertical pressure on the spine.
• Change your posture frequently to encourage circulation and prevent muscle tiredness.
• Make sure that the distance from the seat to the foot-pedals suits your legs.
• Take heavy objects out of back pockets to reduce twisting forces on the lower spine.
• Take care when getting in and out of vehicles. Sit sideways on the seat first, then lift your legs in and rotate your body into the travelling position (do the opposite when getting out). Avoid sudden bending or twisting movements.
• Reduce driving time. Frequent stops help. As often as possible get out, stretch your back and walk around a little.
• Exercise regularly to help strengthen lower back muscles.
• Invest in power steering, which reduces strain on the lower back.

Common Sites of Back Pain

• >Pain and tenderness at these points is a feature of flBROMYA LGIASYNDROME.
• Pain in the small of the back may indicate kidney disease such as PYELONEPHRITIS.
• lower back pain and stiffness may be caused by muscle, joint, ligament or disc injury.
• SCIATICA, caused by pressure on the sciatic nerve, is pain in the buttock that spreads down the back of the leg to the foot.
• Pain in the neck may be caused by OSTEOARTHRITIS of neck joints, injuries such as WHIPLASH, or neck muscle tension.
• Upper back pain is common in OSTEOPOROSIS, and may also occur in spinal osteoarthritis.
• Pain and tenderness at the tail end of the spine can result from injury to the coccyx from falling onto the buttocks.

Reducing Back Strain - By Treatment, Home Remedy of low, upper, lower back pain

• When lifting heavy objects, keep yourback straight and bend your knees. Do not stoop. If the object is too heavy, ask someone to help.
• At the desk, keep your back straight and rest both feet on the floor. A well-designed office chair provides good back support.
• Your load should be equally distributed, if possible, when you are carrying bags.