Posts Tagged ‘back pain’

LOWER BACK MUSCLE PAIN - AN INTRODUCTION

Friday, July 17th, 2009

LOWER BACK MUSCLE PAIN - AN INTRODUCTION

Many musculoskeletal issuesare often easily diagnosed and successfully treated, unfortunately lower back pain is not one of them. Causes of lower back pain can be elusive, leading to incorrect diagnosis and then wrong treatment.

 

PAIN AND WHAT IT TELLS YOU

“Pain is a signal something is wrong.”

It the lower back muscle pain is short lasting and mild it may be nothing to worry about, on the other side if it severe and lasts for a few days up to a week or more, you body is most likely trying to tell you something. Not listening to your body’s signals can aggravate issues, extending the duration of low back pain, often for unnecessary periods.

General rules as to when to refer to a doctor are:

If the pain is severe

If there is swelling

If you hear a cracking or snapping at the time of the injury

If you cannot perform your normal day to day duties

If there is nausea, dizziness, blurred vision, paralysis, weakness or disturbed function following an accident or injury.

If the pain continues beyond 7-10 days.1

 

WHAT IS LOWER BACK PAIN?

Lower back painaffects the muscles in the lower part of the back. It can be described as:

· Acute if it is less than 6 weeks

· Sub-acute if it 6-12 weeks

· Chronic if it is more than 12 weeks

Many people have suffered from lower back muscle pain, costing millions in lost work as well as medical and insurance resources. Lower back muscle pain is a very common back complaint and effects four out of five people at some point in their lives. Although most lower back pain will fix itself out within a few days to a few weeks.

 

LOWER BACK PAIN – AMERICAN STATISTICS

·      80% of society will suffer back pain of some type

Lower back pain

·      88% will be asymptomatic in 6 weeks

·      98% in 24 weeks

·      99% in 52 weeks

·      97% of causes are unknown

·      2% attributed to disc problems

·      29% will require conservative treatment only

·      1% will require surgery

·      The rest will recover spontaneously2

 

RISK FACTORS – LOWER BACK PAIN

Postural deformities and leg length, in general, don’t seem to predispose to low back pain. Studies of static work postures indicate an increased risk of lower back pain sitting with a bent over working posture seems to carry significant risk, for example sitting in a car for more than half a work day can lead to three times the risk of disc herniation.3

·      Physically heavy, static work postures

·      Frequent bending and twisting, lifting and forceful movements

·      Repetitive work and vibrations

·      Tallness leads to increased risk

·      Sciatica is more frequent in obese people

·      Weak trunk muscles and decreased endurance

·      Coughing – leading to decreased blood supply to essential areas

·      Social factors i.e alcoholism, history of divorce, level of education, history of depression.4

 

SYMPTOMS OF LOWER BACK MUSCLE PAIN

Lower back pain means a pain or ache somewhere between the bottom of the ribs at the back and the top of the legs. That may begin suddenly or follow obvious strain or injury or it can come ‘out of the blue’.

It is possible that pain may also travel for example down the buttocks to the foot. It can be worse bending and sitting. Pain that is agonizing can be experienced when rolling over in bed or possibly sitting up. Sneezing or coughing can aggravate the pain. Back muscles can also go into painful spasms.

Lower back muscle pain may be combined with pain in the leg traveling down the knee. This is otherwise called sciatica, because the main nerve in the leg (the sciatica nerve) is irritated by pressure on it..

If in doubt consult a health care practitioner such as a doctor, chiropractor, physiotherapist an osteopath or myotherapist.

 

GUIDELINES

The first thing to rule out is other obvious conditions which may cause back pain. You really need to be on the watch out for ‘red flags’ or warning signs, which can be factors that may require more rapid treatment. They may point to something more serious than a mechanical problem. If any number of these apply to you it is recommended please make sure that you see your doctor.

·      You are younger than 2o when you first get back pain

·      You are older than 55 when you first get back pain

·      The pain follows a violent injury

·      The pain is constant and getting worse

·      You have had or have cancer

·      You are on steroids

·      You are drug abuser

·      You have HIV

·      You are generally unwell

·      You have significant and unexplained weight loss

·      You have significant trouble bending forward over a period of time

·      You have developed nervous system problems – numbness, loss of power etc

·      You have developed an obvious structural deformities

·      If the pain continues over 4 weeks

 

CONCLUSION

If you are concerned about lower back muscle pain please consult your health care practitioner or doctor. To find out more information please visit  YourBackHealth.com

 

1 Listen to Your Pain. B, Benjamin. Penguin Books. P6

2 Ibid

3 Ibid P543

4 Ibid P544

 

Scoliosis and Chiropractic Treatment

Sunday, July 5th, 2009

Scoliosis: An Introduction

When the body is looked at from behind, a normal spine appears straight without much disparity from laterally. However, if the spine is seen to have a lateral, or side-to-side, curvature, the individual might have an affliction called scoliosis.The condition shouldn’t be confused with poor posture, even though it frequently gives the appearance that the individual is leaning to one side. Scoliosis is a troublesome deformity that is characterized by both lateral curvature and rotation of the vertebra frequently producing a distinctive “rib hump” in the mid or thoracic spine. This is caused by the vertebrae in the zone of the major curve rotating toward the concavity and pushing their connected ribs posterior thus creating the symptomatic rib hump seen in thoracic scoliosis. The pulmonary and cardiac functions can be interfered with if the thoracic curve and rib rotation is greater than 70 degrees. Oftentimes later in life in untreated severe idiopathic infantile and juvenile scoliosis patients, this degree of curve and resulting cardiac and pulmonary changes can be life threatening.

Anatomy

If a person were to observe the trunk from a side view, the spine would reveal four normal curves: the cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacral. In the lower spine there is a healthy “C-shaped” curve called swayback or lordosis, while the thoracic curve in the chest region has a “reverse C” called a kyphosis. Increased kyphosis in the thoracic area is called hyperkyphosis, while increased swayback is termed, hyperlordosis. Changes from normal that are visible from a side view regularly accompany scoliosis changes. Occasionally round back deformities are simply due to bad posture and can often be resolved with postural exercises. A small percentage of people with kyphosis have more rigid deformities than the postural type, which are associated with vertebral deformity. This class of deformity, called Scheuermann’s kyphosis, is much more difficult to treat than postural kyphosis, and it’s cause is unknown.

Even a nonprofessional can help to identify a child or fully-grown individual with scoliosis just by viewing the person in a standing position, preferably with no shirt and in , and observing the following:

  • One shoulder may be higher than the other.
  • One scapula (shoulder blade) may be more elevated or more conspicuous than the other.
  • There may be more room between the arm and the body on one side when the arms hang loosely at the side.
  • One hip may seem to be higher or more pronounced than the other.
  • The head is not in plumb with the pelvis.
  • One side of the back appears more raised than the other when the individual is viewed from the rear and asked to lean forward until the the spine is horizontal.

Once scoliosis is suspected, the child or adult should be sent to a healthcare professional, such as a chiropractor, for further assessment. your chiropractor would be happy to help.

The most common kind of scoliosis is, by far, Idiopathic, and although there are a variety of roots and many types, Idiopathic Scoliosis accounts for about 85% of all cases. “Idiopathic” means “no known cause” and is observed with equal prevalence in boys and girls in the mild or low curve magnitudes. Depending on the age of onset, this disorder can be sub-classified into infantile, juvenile and adolescent cases. Idiopathic Scoliosis frequently runs in families and may be caused by genetic or hereditary influences. For reasons yet to be found, girls are five to eight times more likely than boys to have their curves grow in size and require treatment. The most general time for the development of Idiopathic Scoliosis is during adolescence when children are ending the last major growth spurt. Unfortunately, at this age young people are disinclined to let their body to be seen by parents and other adults, so it is very important to have this age group observed on a regular basis.

It is vital that if a scoliotic curve is found in a growing adolescent, the curves be monitored for any change by a periodic examination and sometimes standing x-rays. In ninety percent of cases, the scoliosis is mild and does not require active treatment, but increases in spinal deformity require evaluation to ascertain if a brace or other therapy is necessary. In a small number of patients, surgical treatment may be required.~Surgery may be necessary for a small number of individuals.

Brace treatment (orthosis) is recommended for newly-identified conditions of moderate scoliosis or abnormal kyphosis, as well as when an increase in scoliosis or kyphosis is observed in both juvenile and adolescent children. There are many styles of braces, all designed to prevent curves from increasing by acting as a buttress for the spine during active skeletal growth. Bracing is successful in preventing curve progression in an impressive number of skeletally-immature adolescents. However, braces generally won’t make the spine perfectly straight, and cannot always keep a curve from progressing.

Scoliosis has no simple answer. Nearly all cases, even though regularly monitored, are not actively treated. The common medical treatment for moderate cases is a brace, whereas severe conditions in some cases are treated surgically. You may want to see your local chiropractor first.

Along with bracing, many other modalities have been used successfully including specialized exercise, electric stimulation of spinal muscles, nutritional programs, and chiropractic treatments. It appears that the best results have been maintained with a multi-faceted approach to the management of this condition.

There are chiropractors, that have excellent success treating scoliosis symptoms.

 

Can Chiropractic and Acupuncture Approaches Help Your Back Pain?

Monday, June 22nd, 2009

It isn’t always necessary for you to search for a conventional healing approach if you are experiencing back pain.  As a matter of fact, many times when medical science is ineffectual in helping a person overcome pain, some natural techniques have been found to be very effective.  One of the reasons why is because natural methods tend to seek a cure for the genuine cause of the pain while medical approaches treat only the symptoms.  If you’re curious about natural techniques that have been confirmed to be potent in relieving back pain and quite a few other afflictions, it isn’t necessary for you to look further than chiropractic and acupuncture.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture has been performed in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years.  It is acquiring popularity in a number of other areas of the world and for a very good reason: A vast number of sufferers have felt relief from their back pain and many other afflictions by going to see an acupuncturist on a routine basis.  Pursuant to traditional Chinese acupuncture therapy, small needles are put into the body at specific points that are known to affect various areas of the body.  Traditionally, only the needles are used, however on occasion and particularly today, small electrical currents are passed through the needles into the body.  Although it may seem like it would hurt, it rarely ever does and, in fact, many people feel tranquil and pleasurable sensations while undergoing acupuncture treatments.

Chiropractic

For over one hundred years, chiropractors, such as a Honolulu chiropractor, (also called doctors of chiropractic) have been treating individuals suffering from back pain and other health problems. A chiropractor offers therapy to those who are suffering from musculoskeletal and nervous system challenges. Chiropractic medicine attends to the deviations of the vertebral column that inhibit the operation of the nervous system. These misaligned vertebra can lessen resistance and immunity, hence causing new health problems. A proficient chiropractor has excellent observational and diagnostic skills that assist in uncovering physical irregularities and joint problems. Many chiropractors employ neurological tests and orthopedic checks. Some will analyze the posture of someone in an effort to identify postural irregularities, and may also study an individuals gait to determine faulty movement patterns. Chiropractic management non-invasive, drug-free treatment and in addition will offer advice and provide education about the advantages of individual lifestyle changes, such as in exercise and nutrition.

So, if you have back pain, headaches, neck pain, hip pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, balance challenges, or arthritis, and you’ve tried a number of other things and they haven’t worked, chiropractic and acupuncture may be able to help.  One way to find out  for sure is to make an appointment with a good chiropractor or acupuncturist, and to let them to explain to you definitively what they are able to do for you.  More than likely you will experience some relief from your pain even after only one visit.  With subsequent visits, you will maintain your improvements, and you might just determine that these natural treatments work best for your back pain.

 

Finding the Best Option in Back Pain Treatment

Sunday, February 8th, 2009

There are many things that you can do at home to treat your back pain. If you have strained your back in some way and the pain is severe, you can begin with bed rest that will take the pressure off of your back and allow the injured area to heal. If you decide that bed rest is the best course of action, lie on your back in bed with your knees and feet elevated with a pillow or two. If you prefer to lie on your side, bend your knees and place a pillow between them. Do not spend more than a day or two in bed, since too much bed rest can actually be counterproductive to the healing process.

For pain that is more chronic in nature, you can try some exercises at home to treat your back pain by strengthening the muscles in the back, as well as the abdominal and hip muscles that support your back. These exercises should be done every other day without fail for maximum benefit. For pain that interferes with your daily activities you can try an over-the-counter medication for pain, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Do not take any medication over an extended period of time without checking with your doctor, since long term use of many of these medicines can cause dangerous side effects in some people.

Another home treatment for back pain that is effective for many is the use of ice or heat on the area where the pain originates from. Never use a heating pad on the highest setting or place ice directly on your skin. You can also try a topical ointment that may soothe aching muscles, although the effectiveness of these creams has never been proven. Activity is usually the best medicine, so try to get up and going as much as you can and as soon as you are able.

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Deciding the Cause of Back Pain in order to find Treatment Options

Friday, February 6th, 2009

Simple back pain is a common complaint of people between the ages of 35 and 50. This type of back pain can come and go, and is commonly rely on the level and type of movement that the patient takes part in. Some of the triggers for simple back pain include poor posture, standing or sitting improperly for long periods, carrying loads that are too heavy, or an event like tripping or falling that causes strain or injury to the back and surrounding muscles. One of the best treatments for simple back pain is activity and exercise, since a strong back is a much healthier one.

There are also results of back pain that initiate with the spinal column. These can include a herniated disc or a slipped disc, which occur when one of the discs in the vertebrae fall out of alignment or begins to bulge. The result of either of these processes can result in inflammation and pressure on certain nerves around the spinal column and can lead to pain and discomfort. There is also a condition called spinal stenosis, in which the vertebrae can become constricted as a result of the aging process. This can lead to pain and stiffness in the back, especially in the morning or after sitting in one position for a long period of time. Spinal causes of back pain can usually be diagnosed through x-rays at your doctor’s office.

Although very rare, there are some more serious causes of back pain, such as infections and tumors. Because of this, it is always a good idea to make an appointment with your doctor to determine the cause of your back pain before beginning any sort of treatment program. Sometimes there is no cause for back pain that can be discovered. In this case, the symptom of back pain can be treated and in most cases alleviated or eliminated in time.

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Arthritis Back Pain Relief is a Step Away

Saturday, January 10th, 2009

Arthritis does not refer to a single condition, when in fact there are hundreds of possible conditions that fall under the Arthritis banner. Swelling of the joints and inflammation of those joints is caused by Arthritis and effects a large number of people, and it doesn’t matter how old you are.

every man or woman and their cause of arthritis will be very different, depending upon each individuals distinct situation, these may include many things from heredity, atypical metabolism, infections and injury. Many times the reasons are indistinct, such as when dealing with system lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis.

Analyzing Arthritis Back Pain

Arthritiscan cause back pain, that can range in levels of pain from mildly tolerable to excruciatingly incapacitating. Therefore, it is key that if you develop arthritis without back pain or have been suffering from arthritis back pain caused by arthritis, you should seek out your doctor as soon as you can. Then you will be able to find the back pain alleviation that is best for your problem.

Arthritis Back Pain Alleviation

Whether you suffer from upper or lower back pain, procuring the most useful arthritis back pain alleviation can be a snap when you understand the various selections for relieving such back pain. Actually, there are several different arthritis back pain and upper back pain relief options that you will find effective for use.

Be mindful pain medications do not get rid of the cause of the pain, it merely covers up the symptoms you feel. To appropriately deal with and treat your arthritis back pain you will want to find the longest lasting back pain relief, you will need to locate its root cause, which means taking care of your arthritis.

You can do various things to help relieve your arthritis, such as exercising, while alternating your periods of activity and rest. You can also use cold or hot compresses for short term pain relief of the joints and getting into see your doctor for a complete yearly physical exam.

Pay close attention to your diet, while eating a lot of fresh vegetables and fruits, cereals, whole grain breads. Remember to drink enough of water, which is somewhere around 6 - 8 glasses every day.

If you want the best results for treating your arthritis, be sure to work as a team with your physician as well as investing some time researching and teaching yourself on your condition as well as your options.

Dealing With Strong Back Pain

Thursday, December 25th, 2008

All around the Millions of people suffer from acute back pain, but all there is still hope for all you sufferers out there. Fortunately there are terrific options available when it comes to dealing with the pain and getting back to feeling like your regular old self once again.

What Type do You Have?

The first thing you need to do before you will actually be able to tackle with your pain, this is to determine just what type of pain you are actually afflicted by. Lower back pain is one of the most common types of pain, due to the ease that the back can be stressed and worn out.

Before you doctor can even start to proscribe any form of treatment, they will need to do a few routine tests so that they can determine what type of back pain you are suffering from and what the cause of it is.

There are a few different types of tests that they will most likely perform on you, including blood and urine tests which are mostly just to make sure that the pain is not due to an infection or other systemic problem.

Treatment

Once this issue is resolved, you will be able to move on and find the appropriate treatment for your back condition. There are some fantastic treatment options available here, but you will want to make sure that you are working together as a team with your doctor. Even if you think you know what is going to work best for you, you really need to trust in your doctor?s professional and experienced advice here, and know that they are going to be able to help you out the most here.

Rest is often one of the first suggestions that a doctor will make for back pain, because so many cases of back problems are simply due to stress and exhaustion. If this is not enough however, your doctor may decide to put you on medication, at least until you have found relief of your pain or dealt with the root cause.

Medications can be tricky, because although they may help relieve your pain, they often come with unfavorable side effects so you are gaining in one aspect but then losing in another. It can then obviously be quite difficult to decide whether or not you should even stay on the medication, and you will probably have to sit down and weigh out the pros and cons to make the right decision here.

Simple Steps to Ease Your Back Pain

Thursday, December 25th, 2008

When it comes to your health, there isn’t a single part of your body that doesn’t make a difference. When body parts such as muscles, tendons and bones are injured or strained, you’re likely to end up with back problems. This can include slipped herniated disks, a broken back, or fractures. Back pain can be triggered by a number of situations such as overexertion and poor alignment when performing day to day activities.

Determining the cause of back pain can be complicated since there are a number of different factors involved. For instance, your central nervous system adjacent to your spine has a big part to play in the formation of back pain.

Well over a million people suffer both minor and severe back pain at one time or another. Half of these cases could have been prevented in the first place, without the need for medical intervention. The rest of them might end up suffering from back pain for the rest of their lives if they don’t take a practical approach to the problem.

In some instances, the problem is addressed through the use of surgery. Undergoing surgery can lead to serious complications including, ironically, back pain that’s worse than before. Even the pain of a damaged tendon or shoulder ligament can be eased without the necessity of surgery.

Did you know that losing weight can reduce back pain? The incidence of obesity is continuing to rise right around the world. The added pressure on your muscles from the extra pounds will eventually lead to back pain. “My feet are killing me,” is a common complaint. You might not stop to think that the problem lies in poorly fitting shoes, excessive body weight and too much pressure on the joints and muscles that support you.

If you have a slipped herniated disk, how do you get pain relief? Make sure you bend and lean safely, drop a few pounds if you’re overweight, get some shoes that fit properly, and use a curling technique to treat your pain.

Did you know that curling up in a proper fetal position can reduce back pain caused by a herniated slipped disk? Just lay down on your side and curl up your knees to your chest, and you’ll feel the effect. When curling into a fetal position, place a cushion or pillow between your knees and avoid folding tightly. Keep your hips lowered.

Once you’re aware of the causes of back pain, you can start to take action and relieve your symptoms.

Why Do You Suffer From Severe Lower Back Pain?

Wednesday, December 10th, 2008

Do you know that the most common reasons most individuals visit their Medical Practitioner, is because they suffer from back pain? Obviously Terrible back pain is a major problem for a lot of individuals. However, there are different types of back pain that a person may suffer from. As well as an array of possible causes for the back pain.

Do you suffer from terrible lower back pain? If you do, know that you are not the only one. Actually, millions of people the world over, currently experience the same kind of pain. This type of pain hinders their everyday life and activities.

Back Pain - What Causes It?

Back pain is a symptom that is easily recognized and it can lead to a variety of frightening sensations within the body. Lower back pain is the most common complaint that North American Medical Practitioners treat on a daily basis.

There are a number of factors that can cause back pain, such as muscle spasms, a herniated disc or bone spurs. Quite often back pain is accompanied by sciatica, which is pain that goes down the leg.

Basically, anyone who experiences excruciating lower back pain should visit their family Doctor as soon as possible, since this type of pain may be a symptom of some other underlying health condition.

What You Can Do

Luckily, there are various treatment options at your disposal for severe lower back pain. However, since back pain can stem from an assortment of causes, the treatment goals include pain relief and restoration of movement.

If you are afflicted with severe lower back pain that keeps you from performing your normal everyday activities, your family Doctor will more than likely advise that you begin a medication regimen immediately. However, you should know that medications can merely hide your symptoms, rather than deal with the actual problem, therefore, you should not think of medication to be a long term solution for your problem.

You and your Medical Practitioner must work together as a team to figure out the best long term answer for treating your extreme back pain. More than likely you will experience a trial and error period to determine what works best for your personal problem.

Managing back pain is frustrating, especially if it is intense pain, however the good news is that with time and effort you should be able to find just the right treatment for pain relief.

Managing Lower Back and Leg Pain

Saturday, November 29th, 2008

It can be a challenge when you suffer from pain anywhere in your body, this is especially true when enduring lower back or leg pain. Leg pain can create serious problems for you, just as severe lower back pain can, which can hinder you from performing your normal everyday activities.

To establish appropriate course of action for the lower back or leg pain you suffer, there are a few steps you must take.

Taking Note Of The Details

You will need to learn more about the pain you suffer in your lower back and leg and what may be causing the problem. Leg pain is a common complaint and symptom. There are many reasons that can cause leg pain, such as muscle fatigue or strain from overuse, certain types of medication such as diuretics and statins as well as dehydration or low amounts of potassium. You should know before you begin, that it may be easy to determine the cause for your leg pain. On the other hand it can also be hard to make the determination of the reason. For example, running a marathon and then experiencing cramps or pain in your leg, in most cases, running the marathon is the reason for the pain you suffer.

On the other hand, if you have just been living life normally, and nothing new is happening and you begin to experience leg pain, it may be more difficult for you and your Medical Practitioner to determine the cause of your pain. A number of other causes may influence your leg pain, such as varicose veins, inflammation of the leg joints, arthritis, blood clots caused by long term bed rest, infection of the soft tissue, skin or bones as well as atherosclerosis that blocks blood flow in the arteries.

Go see Your Medical Practitioner

It is crucial that you see your family Doctor as soon as you begin experiencing any lower back or leg pain. You will need to find the appropriate treatment,especially when you suffer from severe pain. However, there is more to this that that. Since leg pain can be a telltale sign of an underlying health condition, your Medical Practitioner will need to perform a few routine tests to make sure that you are not suffering from anything more serious.

Thankfully, there are some great therapy options for leg pain, you must simply work in collaboration with your family Doctor to discover the best treatment for you and your pain.