Do you have Back pain? Now what?
Lower back pain is known as one of the leading causes of physical disability. Lower back pain, also known as lumbago, is a common disorder and a symptom caused by several different medical problems or factors.
What causes lower back pain?
There are many factors that can cause lower back pain, such as:
Strain. Strained muscles can cause back pain. A strain can occur from an incorrect sudden movement or lifting heavy weights. Muscle strains have 3 grades; depending on the grade the recovery time is different. A 1st grade strain can recover from 1 day to 2 weeks, a 2nd grade strain can recover from 3 days to 3 weeks and a 3rd grade strain can recover from 3 weeks to 6 months.
Spinal osteoarthritis can be a cause for back pain. Spinal osteoarthritis is a breakdown of the cartilage of the joints and the disc of the back. Sometimes spinal osteoarthritis can produce spurs that can put pressure on the nerves or can lead to narrowing of the spinal column, spinal stenosis.
Osteoporosis is a disease that is characterized by low bone mass, deterioration of bone tissue, and disruption of bone micro architecture: it can lead to compromised bone strength and an increase in the risk of fractures.
Herniated disc can be very painful, the bulging disc compresses the nerve roots of the spinal nerves and can cause back pain and leg pain.
Sleep problems. Not having a quality sleep is one of the most important psychological factors that can cause tiredness, feeling rundown, and stress. These lifestyle factors are a common cause of back pain.
Structural problems like scoliosis and spondylolisthesis (displacement of one vertebral body onto another). These structural problems of the vertebras can cause back pain.
Symptoms of back pain:
- dull aching sensation in the lower back
- stabbing or shooting pain that can radiate down the leg to the foot
- inability to stand up straight without pain
- more severe back pain, especially when bending forward
- decreased range of motion and diminished ability to flex the back
- excessive levels of stiffness in your lower back
Symptoms to be aware of: (If you have these awkward symptoms then contact your physician)
- Difficulty passing urine or having the sensation to pass water that is not there
- Numbness / tingling in your genitals or buttocks area
- Loss of bladder or bowel control
- Impaired sexual function, such as loss of sensation during intercourse
- Loss of power in your legs
- If you are experiencing pain that runs down the back of both legs
- Feeling unwell with your back pain, such as a fever or significant sweating that wakes you from sleep
Treatment for back pain
Physiotherapy is one of the most widely used forms of treatment adopted for gaining relief from low back pain. It is used in both modes, as a single line of treatment as well as in combination with other treatments such as massage, heat, traction, ultrasound or short wave diathermy.
Active physiotherapy is very important in the rehabilitation of the back pain. Active physiotherapy includes active stretching for the muscles and exercises such as strengthening exercises or aerobic low impact exercises.
Passive physiotherapy can be used if it is too painful to start with active physiotherapy. Passive treatment consists of modalities (ultrasound, heat/cold therapy, and electrotherapy) which can help reduce the pain and start exercising.
Treatments and exercises you can try yourself
Keep moving. One of the most important things you can do is to stay active and keep moving as much as possible. Before it was considered that bed rest was the best treatment for back pain, but now it is advisable to remain active and exercise to improve the mobility of the back and to improve overall your physical activity.
Back stretches. Stretching the soft tissues in the back, legs and buttock and hip flexor muscles, ligaments and tendons can help to mobilize the spine, and an increase in the range of motion of the spine can assist back pain.
Increase of muscle strength of the core. Core stabilization programs have shown to significantly reduce back pain.
Sleep quality. Sleep quality appears related not only to pain intensity but also to a wide range of patient mood. A person with low back pain following a night of poor sleep may be expected to have a day in which he or she is more irritable, sad, and nervous than usual, spends more time resting due to pain than usual, and may ruminate more about pain and view pain as more overwhelming and uncontrollable than usual.
Conclusion
Improving the flexibility of the lumbar spine and hamstrings can significantly reduce back pain.
Relax and stay positive. Trying to relax is a crucial part of easing the pain as muscle tension caused by worrying about your condition may make things worse. People who manage to stay positive despite their pain tend to recover quicker.
Emphasize your sleep quality. Try to sleep for 7-8 hours and try to be consistent.