Back Pains – Relief of Back Pain

November 29, 2011 | Back Injuries

In the United States, back pain is the second most common reason why people have to miss work, so nearly 80% of the American population suffers from back pain at some point in life. Having slight back pain temporarily is normal and may result from excessive physical activity but if it persists for more than two weeks, a physician is to be contacted immediately. Back pain can occur due to a variety of conditions. Since the backbone is the most complicated and intricate set of bones in the body, a patient must attend to the symptoms seriously and consult a doctor before it is too late.

MECHANISM OF BACK PAIN

Back pain can occur due to an abnormality or disease in the following tissues of the back region:

Muscles: muscles are responsible for the movement of our back. They help in providing support to the vertebral column and performing the movements of the back such as bending downwards, lateral flexion or rotation, etc. If your back muscles get sprained, as is common in motor vehicle accidents, it can result in terrible back pain.  Muscle sprains usually occur by a sudden movement or when you lift heavy objects. This in turn stretches or tears your muscle fibers, which causes back pain.

Ligaments: they are tough bands of fibrous tissue that provide connection and continuity to adjacent bones, forming and providing mechanical support to joints. A ligament may get overstretched or even torn after trauma, leading to a lumbar sprain which causes severe back pain.

Bone: a fracture in your vertebrae can also cause back pain. Osteoporosis is a major factor, due to which your bones become soft and brittle, thus increasing the chances a fracture can occur in adults.

Nerves: inflammation or compression of spinal nerves produces serious and debilitating back pain.

CAUSES OF BACK PAIN

There is a wide spectrum of causes that cause pack pain, of which a few important ones are listed below:

  • Automobile accidents– a serious cause causing injury to multiple tissues of the back region.
  • Excessive stretching of the back– e.g. after vigorous exercises or sports that may lead to a sprain or strain.
  • Bad sitting posture- very common and often unrecognized. It eventually leads to the deformity of the spine.
  • Sleeping on soft mattresses.
  • Wrong sleeping postures.
  • Malignancy- metastases of primary cancer in the vertebras may cause severe bone pain in the back.
  • Osteoporosis- a disease of dissolution of the normal structure of the bones, esp. seen in women after menopause.
  • Herniated disc- For more information on herniated disc’s read on. 
  • Direct blunt trauma– due to the hitting of an object on the back.
  • A disease in the kidneys– may cause renal colic pain that is also felt in the back.
  • In women, it can also be caused by ill-fitted bras.

TYPES OF BACK PAIN

The nature of back pain can be of following types, depending upon the type of disease:

  • Constant
  • Intermittent
  • Aggravated by movement
  • Dull aching
  • Spasmodic
  • Pricking
  • Burning
  • Radiating
  • Colicky
  • Piercing

ASSOCIATED SYMPTOMS

The symptoms may include a bruise or redness on the back, numbness, or tingling in any of the four limbs. A person suffering from back pain may have difficulty in bending down or stretch the back muscles.

TREATMENT

Conservative treatment: If back pain is caused by a bad posture then it can be easily dealt with by improving your posture and regular exercise. If exercising does not help the various medicines such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen and aspirin can help reduce pain too. A proper amount of rest is also essential for a person suffering from back pain. Try avoiding climbing up the stairs more than once a day if you have back pain, as it stresses out your back muscles. Getting massages on a regular basis may also be relaxing for the back.

Surgery: it is indicated if there has been severe trauma and the patient is either in excruciating pain or in a very critical state.

Physiotherapy: after recovery from an injury or a surgical procedure, physiotherapy is extremely helpful in keeping the structures of the back mobile.

Back pain is a significant cause of morbidity worldwide, with an astounding estimate of 50 billion dollars spent on its treatment in the United States. Thus it is essential that you take vigilant care of your back as once back symptoms appear, they are almost often recurrent for life.

If your back has been injured through the negligence of another, contact an experienced back injury lawyer immediately. Back pain lawyer Chris Dixon is available to discuss your case at your convenience by calling (314) 208-2808.