How Can I Help My Back Pain

When To Seek Medical Advice

You should see your GP if you have persistent symptoms of AS.

If your GP thinks you may have the condition, they should refer you to a specialist in conditions affecting muscles and joints for further tests and any necessary treatment.

Further tests may include blood tests and imaging tests.

Read about diagnosing ankylosing spondylitis.

What Is Upper Back Pain

Upper back pain occurs anywhere from the base of your neck to the bottom of your rib cage. Your upper and middle back is called the thoracic spine. Your thoracic spine has 12 small bones called vertebrae. Your vertebrae form your backbone.

Each of the vertebrae on your thoracic spine is connected to a pair of ribs. Your ribs wrap around your body to a long, flat bone down the center of your chest called the sternum. This forms your rib cage.

Your upper back also has disks that separate each vertebrae. These disks absorb shock as you move. There are also many muscles and ligaments in your upper back that hold your spine together. Upper back pain may be caused by many different medical issues or injuries to the bones, disks, muscles and ligaments in your upper back.

Upper back pain is not as common as neck pain or low back pain. This is because the bones in the upper area of your back don’t move or flex as much as the bones in your neck and lower back. The bones in your upper back work with the ribs to keep the back stable. They work together to help protect vital organs in your body including your heart and lungs.

Precautions And Safety Tips

Heating pads are effective for pain management, but they can be dangerous when used improperly. Here are a few safety tips to avoid injury.

• Dont place a heating pad or heated gel pack directly on your skin. Wrap it in a towel before applying to skin to avoid burns.
• Dont fall asleep using a heating pad.
• When using a heating pad, start on the lowest level and slowly increase the heat intensity.
• Dont use a heating pad that has a cracked or broken electrical cord.
• Dont apply a heating pad to damaged skin.

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How To Use A Tens Unit For Back Pain

The best way to ensure you’re using your TENS unit for back pain correctly is to speak with a medical professional. Any reputable machine should come with extensive instructionsand this is not an instance where you want to skip the instruction manual. “TENS is a relatively safe treatment, so long as those instructions are followed,” Starkey confirms.

That said, before you decide to charge up your TENS unit, Starkey says you’ll want to make sure you have an understanding of where your pain is coming from. “It’s cliché but TENS should not be used to treat pain of unknown origin or used for more than two weeks without being examined by a medical professional.”

As for pad placement during sensory level pain control , Starkey recommends an “X” pattern with the painful area at the center of the X. The electrodes on each set of wires should be placed so that the current crosses over the area in pain.

In terms of frequency of use, “Sensory-level pain control can be used for days at a time,” Starkey advises. He recommends moving the electrodes slightly with each use to avoid irritation from the adhesive.

The TENS unit should feel like a tingle or buzz that gradually increases in intensity to a sharp, prickly sensation. If the TENS treatment is successful, you should feel some pain relief within the first 30 minutes of treatment. If it is not successful, change the electrode placements and try again. And if you’re seeking 24-hour pain control, portable units are best.

How Your Back Works

The spine, which is also called the backbone or spinal column, is one of the strongest parts of the body and gives us a great deal of flexibility and strength.

Its made up of 24 bones, known as vertebrae, one sitting on top of the other. These bones have discs in between and lots of strong ligaments and muscles around them for support. There are also the bones in the tailbone at the bottom of the back, which are fused together and have no discs in between.

On either side of the spine, running from top to bottom, are many small joints called the facet joints.

The spinal cord passes inside the vertebrae, which protect it.

The spinal cord connects to the brain through the base of the skull and to the rest of the body by nerves that pass through spaces between the bones of the spine. These nerves are also known as nerve roots.

As you grow older, the structures of your spine, such as the joints, discs and ligaments, age as well. The structures remain strong but its usual for your back to get stiffer as you get older.

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How Do I Know If Back Pain Is Serious

Any time youre experiencing back pain that lasts longer than two weeks with no improvement, we strongly recommend you seek care. If you have sudden back pain or chronic back pain with certain symptoms, or if you have a history of cancer, the pain could be a sign of something more serious. These symptoms include:

• Unexplained fever

When Should I See A Doctor For Back Pain

When your back first starts to hurt, try taking an over-the-counter pain reliever and applying ice in the first 48 hours. You may apply heat after 48 hours. You may need to take it easy for a while, but its best to stay as active as tolerated, and to avoid absolute bed rest, said Dr. Guo.

If your back pain lasts more than two weeks and keeps you from participating in normal, daily activities, see your family doctor. If your pain is severe, you should see a doctor sooner. You should seek urgent medical care if you have:

• Fever associated with back pain
• Back pain after trauma
• Loss of bladder or bowel control
• Loss of strength in your arms and legs
• Unexplained weight loss associated with back pain

Also, always be more cautious if you have special risk factors for cancer, infection, or fractures that may affect the spine.

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What To Do For Acute Pain

If youve got what doctors refer to as an acute episode of back pain, it typically comes on suddenly and often goes away within a few days or weeks. This type of back pain is very common.

“Almost everyone 80% of people will experience this in their lifetime at some point,” says Dr. Ermann. “With most common cases of back pain, we often dont really know why it hurts.”

A classic scenario occurs when someone shovels snow or does some other unusual physical activity, and later in the day or on the following day develops severe back pain. “This is usually due to muscle strain or ligament sprain in the back,” says Dr. Ermann.

If this sounds like you, and youre otherwise fit and healthy, you can likely wait a few days to see if the pain starts to go away before you pay a visit to the doctor. In the meantime, there are several pain management strategies that are often helpful.

Medication and heat. Taking an over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, such as ibuprofen or naproxen, can help to reduce pain. Also, try applying heat to the affected area.

Stay positive. Most episodes of acute back pain resolve on their own within a few days or weeks. “People almost always get back to the status they had before,” he says. Other than staying active, no particular strategy has been shown to more quickly resolve pain and stiffness.

What Should I Know About Back Pain

Back pain is a very common problem and will affect many of us at some point during our lives.

The good news is that in most cases it isnt a serious problem, and it might just be caused by a simple strain to a muscle or ligament.

As far as possible, its best to continue with your normal everyday activities as soon as you can and to keep moving.

Being active and exercising wont make your back pain worse, even if you have a bit of pain and discomfort at first. Staying active will help you get better. Taking painkillers can help you do this.

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How Can I Prevent Shoulder Pain

OrthoInfo: âShoulder Pain and Common Shoulder Problems,â âRotator Cuff and Shoulder Conditioning Program.â

Cleveland Clinic: âRotator Cuff Tendonitis,â âBone Spurs,â âShoulder Tendinitis.â

American Society for Surgery of the Hand: âShoulder Pain.â

American Academy of Family Physicians: âShoulder Pain.â

Mayo Clinic: âShoulder Pain,â âRotator Cuff Injury,â âArthroscopy.â

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases: âShoulder Problems.â

Arthritis Foundation: âShoulder Injuries,â âArthritis and Diseases That Affect the Shoulders.â

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: âCommon Shoulder Injuries,â âDislocated Shoulder,â âClavicle Fracture,â âShoulder Joint Tear,â âRotator Cuff Tears,â âShoulder Impingement/Rotator Cuff Tendinitis.â

Stanford Medicine: âApproach To The Exam of The Shoulder.â

Johns Hopkins Medicine: âElectromyography .â

Texas Department of Insurance: âShoulder Injury Prevention Fact Sheet.â

University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics: âShoulder Injury Prevention.â

Merck Manual Home Edition.

American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine.

Show Sources

Support Your Body In A Warm Pool

The buoyancy of the water lets you enjoy the benefits of exercise with less pain. Exercising in water also helps regulate the functioning of nerves and muscles, relieving pain.14

If you prefer warmer pools, look into water exercise classes and hydrotherapy pools. Water therapy exercises are often done in water that is about 83 degrees to 88 degrees. Hydrotherapy pool temperatures are often more than 90 degrees.

See Water Therapy Exercise Program

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Relieving Your Back Pain

When you are suffering from an ache or struggling to get lower back pain relief, it may seem difficult to take a proactive approach to the matter. However, alleviating such aches may be largely within your control. If you make some simple changes in habit and lifestyle, you might be pleasantly surprised by the results. At North Texas Medical Center, we take great pride in helping our community achieve better health. If you are suffering from backache, call us at , or contact us online today.

Why Is My Kid Complaining About Back Pain

Occasional back pain can be common in children, especially if they are age 10 and younger. But persistent back pain is not common in children. If your child starts complaining of persistent back pain, they should be examined by a pediatric spine specialist immediately, as there are a number of treatment options available.

Back pain in children is incredibly common and often related to things like constipation. But if your childs back pain persists, there may be a specific injury or condition that needs to be examined by a pediatric spine specialist.

Quick spurts of back pain arent uncommon for children, but your kids back may need more immediate attention if he is complaining of constant back pain in one specific area, needs medicine to help with the pain or limits his activity or if its associated with fevers, chills and weight loss, said Nicholas D. Fletcher, MD, a Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeon and Medical Director of Spine Quality and Outcomes at Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta.

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Mechanical Lower Back Pain

Because it represents 97% of cases, mechanical low back pain deserves to be discussed first. To determine the factors that bring out the pain, the doctor will consider the following causes of mechanical low back pain:

• Spondylolisthesis .
• Osteoarthritis .
• Spinal stenosis .

Low back pain that gets worse with sitting may indicate a herniated lumbar disc . This is because certain positions of the body can change the amount of pressure that an out-of-place disc can press on a nerve. This is one reason we suggest to people with low back pain to periodically get up and stretch or walk around rather than continually stay sitting. Acute onset, that is, pain that comes on suddenly, may suggest a herniated disc or a muscle strain, as opposed to a more gradual onset of pain, which fits more with osteoarthritis, spinal stenosis, or spondylolisthesis.

What Are The Treatments For Lower Back Pain

Lower back pain usually gets better with rest, ice and over-the-counter pain relievers. After a few days of rest, you can start to get back to your normal activities. Staying active increases blood flow to the area and helps you heal.

Other treatments for lower back pain depend on the cause. They include:

• Medications: Your provider may recommend nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or prescription drugs to relieve pain. Other medications relax muscles and prevent back spasms.
• Physical therapy : PT can strengthen muscles so they can support your spine. PT also improves flexibility and helps you avoid another injury.
• Hands-on manipulation: Several hands-on treatments can relax tight muscles, reduce pain and improve posture and alignment. Depending on the cause of pain, you may need osteopathic manipulation or chiropractic adjustments. Massage therapy can also help with back pain relief and restore function.
• Injections: Your provider uses a needle to inject medication into the area thats causing pain. Steroid injections relieve pain and reduce inflammation.
• Surgery: Some injuries and conditions need surgical repair. There are several types of surgery for low back pain, including many minimally invasive techniques.

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Can Back Pain Be Prevented

Recurring back pain resulting from improper body mechanics may be prevented by avoiding movements that jolt or strain the back, maintaining correct posture, and lifting objects properly. Many work-related injuries are caused or aggravated by stressors such as heavy lifting, contact stress , vibration, repetitive motion, and awkward posture.Recommendations for keeping ones back healthy

Exercises To Ease Your Back Pain Restore Your Health

Editors Note: Join Dana Santas for a four-part series to learn how you can recover from and prevent low back pain. Santas, known as the Mobility Maker, is a certified strength and conditioning specialist and mind-body coach in professional sports, and is the author of Practical Solutions for Back Pain Relief. Heres Part II.

When youre suffering from back pain, perhaps the last thing you want to do is get out of bed. However, for most back pain sufferers, the path to relief actually involves moving through the pain. That notion may seem counterintuitive, but exercise is more effective for relieving lower back pain than passive approaches such as medication, bed rest and support braces, according to research.

In Part I of this series, we looked at why its important to understand the potential causes of back pain to assess the best treatment course.

Now, well focus on helping you move through exercises to determine which ones can alleviate pain and restore your back health.

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Bird Dogs Build Core And Glute Strength

Coleman said that bird dogs strengthen your core as well as your glute muscles, which both support the back.

To perform the exercise, start in a tabletop position with your back flat and head facing down. Extend your left arm and right leg back and hold this position for a few seconds, before bringing both back down. Repeat with your right arm and left leg.

The balancing required to perform bird dogs builds a strong, stable core, he said. Lifting your legs also builds muscle in your glutes, which supports the base of your back.

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Listening To Your Body

The mind-body connection is the bridge that helps you develop an attuned sense of your physical state, enabling you to respond to your bodys messages.

With back pain, misunderstanding or ignoring pain messages can cause injury, while overreacting can lead to unnecessary tests, medications and procedures that could slow down recovery. Leveraging your mind-body connection, you can better differentiate between cautionary sensations warning you to avoid particular movements and less severe ones stemming from muscle tension and joint stiffness. The latter is the kind of pain we want to move through to achieve relief.

Mindfulness meditation and breathing techniques can help strengthen your mind-body connection as you work through the exercises below.

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Strengthen Your Back With Exercise

Exercise regularly to maintain stability, range of motion and a heathy weight. Well talk about targeted back exercise in just a bit, but its important to know that exercise of any type can help you build muscle strength.

Many people with chronic back pain see improvement with physical activity. If you sit most of the time at your job, be sure to get up every hour and move around. If your old go-to exercises arent as enjoyable because they make your back hurt, explore alternatives.

Exercises that are soft on your joints, like water aerobics and yoga, are popular exercises for people with back pain. Look for low-impact exercises offered at your local community center or gym. Your local public school may also offer open swim times or other community classes.

Acupuncture For Back Aches

Acupuncture is a traditional eastern medicine practice shown to reduce back pain for most people who try it. During this therapy, a trained acupuncturist inserts extremely thin needles at strategic points and varying depths throughout your body. This stimulates your central nervous system, jump-starting your bodys natural healing ability. Acupuncture may help reduce inflammation that causes chronic back pain.

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