It is the #2 problem that brings people into the doctor's office.
About 3 in 4 adults will experience it during their lifetime. This number will rise given our aging population and the increasing trend of obesity.
Natural supplements can be very helpful to prevent or to help relieve the inflammation, which many times is accompanied by sometimes sharp, stabbing or even dull, aching pain.
Weight loss diets can also help decrease the weight load on the back.
Natural antioxidants such as those found in fresh fruits and vegetables and dark chocolate are also helpful.
Many different spinal conditions can cause your back to ache, such as muscle sprains and strains.
Low Back Pain (lumbar spine) is the most common. People often describe it as a sudden, sharp (sometimes dull), but persistent pain felt from below the waist to the coccyx (tailbone).
Most back pain comes from sprains and strains caused by lifting something without using proper techniques or a sudden twisting motion. Muscle sprains or strains usually heal on their own with a little time and rest, but they can really make you miserable in the mean time.
Other conditions that can cause low back pain include:
Spinal Stenosis
: A narrowing of one or more areas in your spine,...most often in your upper or lower back.
Arthritis (osteoarthritis)
also known as one of the degenerative joint diseases is the most common form of arthritis. When cartilage in your joints wears down over time, pain develops.
Spinal tumor (benign and malignant)
: Sometimes the cause of back pain may be a spinal tumor — a cancerous or noncancerous growth that develops within or near the spinal cord or in the bones of the spine.
Spondylolisthesis
: When one vertebra slips forward over the vertebra below it. Most often, this happens in the low back (lumbar spine) because that part of your spine bears a lot of weight and absorbs a lot of directional pressures.
Spinal Fracture
: Spinal fractures that occur as a result of osteoporosis are actually quite common. The problem is that the fracture is not always diagnosed—instead it is often just thought of as general back pain, such as from a muscle strain or other soft tissue injury, or as a common part of aging and therefore not treated.
Herniated Disk
: It is a more severe spinal condition that causes back pain.
Depending on the severity of your pain and its cause, you may require more involved medical help, such as Physical Therapy or even surgery.
Neurologic symptoms requiring immediate medical attention include:
Colon or bladder dysfunction
Leg numbness or weakness
Severe symptoms that do not subside after a few days
Pain which prohibits everyday activities
Your recovery can also be helped along with natural supplements and increasing antioxidants in your diet to reduce inflammation which is one of the main causes of back pain.
Over-the counter or prescription medications can help relieve back pain, and natural supplements may also be helpful, too, however do not expect the natural supplements to give you instant relief.
NSAIDs (non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) and other medications can have adverse side effects, especially if overused.
Take heart, just because you have back pain doesn't mean you necessarily need serious medical attention or surgery. It does mean, however, that you're in good company and that you have an array of treatment options to get you feeling better.
What are Some Treatments to Relieve Back Pain?
There are many treatments to help relieve back pain such as:
Rest: If your back hurts, take a little rest for a couple of hours. Lie down and avoid overusing your back muscles for a little while (one day, perhaps).
Don't stay in bed for long periods, though, because too much rest can make your back pain worse. After a short rest, get up and move around again.
Natural Supplements/Antioxidants: Are you taking a daily vitamin as well as extra Vitamin C?
Physical Back Treatments
Chiropractic Treatment: Chiropractic is a form of conservative care. There is no surgery involved and no drugs.
In treating low back "slipped discs", a conservative approach should be attempted before surgery is considered, except in acute or severe cases, possibly involving a fracture or broken bone.
Chiropractic care has a long history of successfully providing conservative care for disc conditions. Some chiropractors also perform heat/cold therapy as well as massage.to bring additional blood flow to the area and to attempt to relax the muscles.
www.chiropractic-help.com
: Manipulation may be the first line of defense against acute and chronic lower back and leg pain.
Although 1.5 million lumbar MRI scans are carried out each year in the USA for sciatica, only 20% reveal a herniated disk, and about one third of the surgeries fail to relieve the sciatica.
As a consequence, 80% receive no clear diagnosis and 100,000 people have spine surgery that fails.
Over-the-Counter or Prescription Medications: Many medications are available over-the-counter at your local drug store or pharmacy. Other medications require a doctor's prescription. Before using these medications be sure and read the side effects.
Cold/Heat Therapy: Immediately after a sprain or strain, (during the first 24 to 48 hours), use cold therapy such as the application of a coldpack, an iced towel or take a cool bath which can help decrease swelling and inflammation, muscle spasm and pain because the cold reduces the blood flow to the area.
After the first 48 hours, apply heat therapy to your aching back by using a hot compress, a dry or moist heating pad, or hot bath. Heat therapy increases blood flow to warm and relax soft tissues and can help relax muscles which are tense, decrease muscle spasms, reduce pain, and increase range of motion.
If you are not sure whether to use heat or cold, a good general rule is "does it make your back feel better when you apply it"? If you feel better then it is working. Remember, never apply cold or heat/hot therapies directly on your skin, wrap it in a towel first no longer than 15-20 minutes.
Weight Loss: Most people know that obesity contributes to the development of coronary heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and colon cancer.
However, did you know that obesity is not only a contributing factor to back pain, but being overweight or obese can significantly contribute to other diseases linked to back pain such as degenerative disc disease, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, spinal stenosis, and spondylolisthesis.
Our spine is designed to carry the body's weight and distribute the loads during rest and activity. When excess weight is carried, our spine is forced to bear the burden, which may lead to structural damage (e.g., injury, sciatica).
The low back is most vulnerable to the effects of obesity. See the weight loss tips
page to help you begin to lose that excess weight.
Exercise: Lack of exercise and bodily conditioning leads to poor flexibility and weak muscles in the back, pelvis and thighs. Regular exercise can improve your balance, reflexes and coordination.
This means you are less likely to fall and injure yourself. Injuries from falling can mean disaster to someone with osteoporosis. Healthy body composition means a high proportion of lean body mass (e.g. muscle) to a small proportion of fat.
Strength training can help by raising the metabolic rate and lowering body fat. Increased muscle strength helps to maintain good posture and body mechanics during activity.
Not only does good physical conditioning reduce the chance of injury but increases physical performance such as climbing stairs or carrying groceries with ease.
Here are some some short exercise videos from betterhealthworx.com which help strengthen the lower back.
See Your Doctor: The most important thing to remember about periodic bouts of back pain is that if they occur more and more frequently, increase in duration (more than a few days), or the pain starts to interfere with your usual daily activities, it's time to see your doctor.
It could be more than just a minor strain. The good news is that most back problems can be treated with methods are that non-surgical. If they go untreated though, they could cause serious health consequences.
Physical Therapy: Your doctor may also recommend physical therapy by writing you out a prescription. Physical therapy includes a combination of non-surgical treatments to decrease pain and increase flexibility.
Even before your incision(s) completely heal, physical therapy is needed to bring back full range of motion.
Ice and heat therapy, electrical stimulation, ultrasound, gentle massage, stretching, and back/neck traction are some examples. In 4-6 weeks, the majority of patients find their symptoms are relieved without surgery.
Being optimistic about your treatment plan is a plus and remember that less than 5% of back problems require surgery.
Compare Insurance Coverage
If physical therapy is prescribed, you may wish to check with your insurance company as to the length of time for which your policy will pay for physical therapy. Physical therapy may be required for a longer period of time than your policy covers. Physical therapy can be quite expensive if you have to pay for it "out-of-pocket".
You may wish to ask your doctor how long he or she feels physical therapy would be prescribed and then contact your insurance provider to find out whether you can purchase additional coverage relating to this or get additional insurance quotes before you make a decision to have an elective back surgery.
Massage: Massage therapy can help relieve muscle tension, aches, muscle spasms, inflammation, both muscle and joint stiffness, and pain. Always be sure to drink lots of water both before and after a massage to help your body remove the toxins which have been broken loose out of the muscles.
It can also help improve circulation, flexibility, and range of motion. Massage can be administered by a professional (massage therapist) or you can give yourself a mini-massage using hand-held massagers that can help increase blood flow and relieve pain.
Surgery: Although most patients respond well to non-surgical treatments, some patients do need surgery. In general, surgery should be considered only after several months of non-surgical treatment.
Many surgical procedures can be performed using minimally invasive techniques such as less "cutting" and entering the body. This results in smaller incisions, shorter hospital stays, less pain after surgery, and a faster recovery.
If your doctor recommends surgery, always ask the purpose of the operation, results you can expect, and possible complications. If back surgery is suggested by your doctor, don't hesitate to ask for a second opinion. Most back surgery requires several weeks or months of recovery times. This is your right.
Your doctor will be able to refer you to a specialist to who can take another look at your condition and possibly make other suggestions.
Just remember, when trying to decide on which treatment you should try, you should always do what is best for the health and well being of your body and joints in the long run.
Take your time and do not make these decisions right away.
Additional Resources: Backache Relief:
The latest information and advice about the causes, prevention and pain relief techniques for all forms of back pain.
Learn more about relieving chronic and acute back pain naturally through wellness technologies for
pain relief without drugs.
Information on this site is provided for informational purposes only and is not meant to substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professional.
