The first order of business when it comes to back pain is to have an accurate diagnosis for your pain.
Next, you should review treatment options. Most back pain can be managed conservatively, although some specific disorders require spine surgery. In most cases of back pain, patients will begin to notice relief within two weeks of starting treatment. Treatment options can range from basic rest, ice or heat and gradually resuming activity to medication, physical therapy, chiropractic treatment, osteopathy, podiatry, acupuncture and as a last resort surgery. Make sure to educate yourself on the cause of your back pain, and look into the pros and cons of available treatment options, so that you and your doctor can choose what's best for you.
The most important thing is for you to be in charge of your own treatment and recovery!
Low back pain can often be attributed to complex origins and symptoms, and it does not discriminate. It can originate from identified muscle trauma, or an unknown non-traumatic event. Low Back Pain can also begin in other regions of the body and eventually attack the muscles or other structures in the lower back. Sometimes low back pain can even begin in the nerves or nervous system. Other origins for low back pain are postneural difficulties, congenital disorders, trauma, infections, degenerative disorders, inflammatory diseases, circulatory disorders or any of other 30 additional causes.
It is often difficult for physicians to pinpoint the exact cause of a patient's low back pain, because of the complex composition of the human spine. Bone, discs, muscles, ligaments, tendons and various other tissues are arranged like a three-dimensional puzzle to make up the spine. The complex make up can easily mask the exact cause of low back pain.
In addition, depression, anxiety, frustration, reinforcement, stress, anger, fear and many other psychological states can help to cause the onset of back pain, can be a reaction to prolonged pain, or exist concurrently with pain.
The emotional component can complicate the back pain diagnosis, sometimes resulting in needless surgery and disability and can sometimes mask the underlying physical causes of pain.
There are two different types of back pain, acute and chronic. Acute pain has a sudden onset and can be caused by trauma, arthritis, fractures, infections around the spine, and internal organ disease and cancer. Chronic back pain lasts for months with no relief and can have a myriad of causes.
The following are some of the most common causes and diagnoses of back pain
Mechanical Disorders
Many people who suffer from back problems are experiencing mechanical pain, which means that a specific part of their spine, such as an intervertebral disc, a ligament, or a joint, is damaged and is not working correctly.
Developmental Disorders
Developmental disorders of the lower back are caused by abnormalities in the formation and growth of the skeleton. Although the treatment for many of these conditions is conservative, surgery may be required to keep some disorders from worsening, and in order to prevent long-term disability and or deformity.
Inflammatory and Infectious Disorders
Infections of the spinal column are not common, but they are important because they are difficult to diagnose and there are serious consequences in the delay of an accurate diagnosis.
Tumours
Cancers and tumours of the spine and spinal cord are relatively rare. The most common symptom that patients with a spinal tumour have is pain. Because back pain is very common, it is also not a specific symptom of any one disease or medical condition.
Trauma
Trauma to the spine refers to injury that has occurred to bony elements, soft tissues and or neurological structures. The two things that surgeons are most concerned about, in the case of spinal trauma, are instability of the vertebral column and actual or potential neurological injury.
FIRST AID FOR BACK PAINstop any exercise or treatment that increases your pain. When you first feel a catch or strain in you back, try these steps to avoid or reduce expected pain. These are the most important home treatments for the first few days of back pain.
First aid 1 ICE
As soon as possible, apply an ice packto the injured area. (10 minutes every hour). Cold limits swelling, reduces pain and speeds healing.
First aid 2 MEDICATION
Some medications are available without a prescription. If the non-prescription dose does not relieve your pain CALL YOUR DOCTOR. Take aspirin or ibuprofen regularly as directed on the bottle (call your doctor if you've been told to avoid anti-inflammatory medication). Acetaminophen (Tylenol) may also be used. Take these medications sensibly, never exceed the dosage suggested on the bottle, the maximum recommended dose will reduce the pain. Masking the pain completely might allow movement that could lead to re-injury.
First aid 3 TAKE SHORT WALKS
(three to five minutes every three hours) on level surfaces (no inclines) as soon as you can to keep your muscles strong. Only walk distances that you can manage without pain, especially leg pain. Remember that this is part of your exercise program. Don't try to do two things at once. Shopping, carrying packages or walking your dog, unless the dog does not pull on the leash at all, will strain your back.
First aid 4 RELAX YOUR MUSCLES Listen to soft music - Practice deep breathing - try one of the commercially available relaxation tapes.
After two or three days of home treatment:
Continue daily walks (increase to 5-10 minutes three to four times a day).
Try swimming; DO NOT DO ANY EXERCISES THAT INCREASE YOUR PAIN. Start with floating on your back (no more than 5 minutes your first time in the pool) Lap swimming or kicking with swim fins is often helpful to prevent back pain from re-occurring.
When your pain is gone slowly resume normal activities. Continue to use caution with lifting, bending, sitting & sports for 6 - 8 weeks, after the pain is gone, to allow the back to heal. If you have a regular exercise program begin easy exercises that do not increase your pain. Start with 2-5 repetitions twice a day and increase to 10, as you are able.
Activity
Try to continue with daily work or school schedules to the extent possible. Use care in resuming normal activities. Stop activities that cause increased pain.
A gradual stretching program can help reduce pain. Seek Professional Advice: (Use caution - sometimes you don't feel pain until the day after you exercise.)
Physical Therapy is indicated for Acute (severe) pain that does not respond to bed rest or for Chronic (less severe, but lingers over several weeks/months years) pain. Physical therapy can be prescribed by your doctor and is generally covered by insurance. A physical therapist is licensed to treat you without a doctor's referral. Generally, physical therapists and GP’s work together to provide you with the best care.
Avoid strenuous activity for 6-8 weeks.
After healing, continued use of good body mechanics (good posture with sitting, standing, bending, driving and resting) can prevent future problems. A physical therapist can instruct you in a basic program of back care including maintenance exercises and a first aid program to prevent a minor injury from becoming a major injury.
Call your GP if
You have mild, low back pain that persists for 3 or 4 days after self-treatment.
Back pain or leg pain is severe.
Back pain or back and leg pain that goes away for short periods but keeps coming back.
New or unexplained symptoms appear.
Physical Therapy should be prescribed when you have been initially treated by your GP but the pain persists beyond 1-2 weeks or if you have had multiple episodes of pain over the past year.
Probable Outcome
Gradual recovery, but back troubles tend to recur a home program and ongoing support can prevent continued back problems.
*Physical Therapy can help you prevent long term problems.
*Locate you nearest Registered Back Pain Therapist Click Here
The materials on this Web site are for your general educational information only. Information you read on this Web site cannot replace the relationship that you have with your health care professional. We do not practice medicine or provide medical services or advice as a part of this Web site. You should always talk to your health care professional for diagnosis and treatment.
Treatment Options