The back is divided into five sections. The coccyx and sacrum are immobile sections of fused vertebrae; they are located below your waistline into the buttocks. The lumbar spine contains five vertebrae that run from the top of the buttocks to the lower chest; the thoracic spine has 12 vertebrae, which span from the lumbar spine to the shoulders; and the cervical spine, 7 vertebrae, which are found in the neck. The thoracic, cervical and lumbar spines give you the flexibility to bend, stretch, lift, and twist. The cervical and lumbar spines are the most flexible, and therefore, the most injury prone.Back pain, while easy to diagnose, is often hard to pinpoint. There are so many possible causes, and so many different sensations of pain associated with it that often takes some time to diagnose the specific cause of your pain. Lower back pain is the most common type of back pain, and it can be caused by anything from injury to aging.
The most common type of lower back injury is a strain or sprain. Muscle sprain can occur when the muscles are overworked, or not conditioned properly. Ligament sprain happens when a sudden forceful movement pulls a ligament. Lack of conditioning and overuse often cause or aggravate sprains.
Many factors contribute to back injury or strain, such as obesity, smoking, poor conditioning, and overuse. In addition, the aging process affects the back. Aside from osteoarthritis, which can cause both lumbar and cervical back pain, your ligaments and muscles lose much of their elasticity and strength. Regular exercise, proper diet and smoking cessation can help you to keep your back healthy as you age.
As you age, you suffer some degree of degenerative disc disease and some degree of arthritis in your joints. For some people it is not noticeable, but for others, this is a major cause of back pain. Osteoporosis, a condition that occurs when the bone wears away is also an age-related condition that can cause back pain.
Fracture or compression fractures are a common cause of back pain. A bad fall, lifting, or stress from everyday activities causes these.
Ring-shaped discs sit in between the vertebrae in your spine. These discs are soft on the inside and hard on the outside. When you are young, the inside of your disc is jelly-like; as you age, it hardens. As you age, you can develop cracks, or fissures in the discs. Sometimes, materials from the disc can push out from these cracks. This condition is called a ruptured, slipped, or herniated disc. Another name for this condition is a slipped disc.
Symptoms vary, but most often include pain anywhere in the back, tightness and stiffness. These symptoms may radiate to the lower extremities, through the buttocks and legs if it is a lumbar spine injury, or they may radiate through the shoulder and down the arm if it is a cervical spine injury. The pain can range from moderate to severe, and can include stabbing pain, numbness, and tingling.
If you suffer from back pain, you need to see your health care practitioner. In some cases, back pain indicates another complication, such as an infection, ulcers, cancer, heart disease, gynecological problems, intestinal problems, bladder infection, or kidney disease. Therefore, it is very important to have your doctor properly diagnose your condition.
A physical exam by your physician can confirm back pain and muscle spasms, but it can be hard to sort out the cause of those symptoms. An X-ray will point out damage to bone tissue, such as arthritis or a fracture, and may help confirm muscle spasm ,but cannot assess soft tissue damage (such as a sprain or strain). In most cases an x-ray of the spine is not necessary. If your physician suspects disc disease by physical examination, then initially the treatment is the same for non-specific back pain. If symptoms do not resolve and surgery is contemplated, or if your physician suspects another cause for the back pain, discan MRI or CT scan may be performed. These tests will show a herniated disc but many people have herniated discs without any symptoms.Most nonspecific back pain resolves itself through a combination of rest, N-SAIDs and behavioral modifications. In very serious cases, there are certain surgical procedures performed on herniated discs or other serious degenerative conditions. However, surgery is always used as the last option.
Your doctor may recommend heat, ice, or a combination of both to ease your pain and decrease swelling. For some injuries, a short period of rest followed by light activity may ease your pain. If you are overweight, slimming down will reduce the strain on your back, and if you are a smoker, quitting will also help ease your back.
Poor posture is a major cause of back pain, but it is one that can be rectified. Keeping your back in proper alignment by sitting and standing in the proper position is probably the number one thing you can do to alleviate your back pain. Learning the proper way to lift and carry things can also improve your back pain, and prevent injuries from occurring.
A physical therapist can recommend exercise to help you strengthen your back and abdominal muscles, which will help to keep your back in the proper alignment. Also, a therapist can help you to increase your flexibility and help to establish an exercise program that works for you. Light exercise is important for your back health. He or she may also help you to sort out the cause of your back pain and make recommendations for preventing it in the future, such as changing to a hard mattress, or improving your posture at work. He may also recommend that you see a chiropractor who can manipulate your spine into its proper alignment. There is a new treatment modality for patients with herniated discs – to be used prior to surgery and that treatment is called VAX-D. VAX-D is computerized application of traction to the lower spine in order to reduce a herniated disc.
Finally, alternative medicinal methods, such as acupuncture and massage therapy have provided the cure for many back pain sufferers.
