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How To Care For Lower Back Pain

When Surgery Is Necessary

Quick Lower Back Pain Relief With 3 Easy Steps

When conservative treatment for low back pain does not provide relief or neurologic symptoms are worsening or severe, surgery may be needed. Candidates for surgery present any of the following:

  • Reasonably good health
  • Back and leg pain limits normal activity or impairs quality of life
  • Progressive neurologic deficits develop, such as leg weakness, numbness or both
  • Loss of normal bowel and bladder functions
  • Difficulty standing or walking
  • Medication and physical therapy are ineffective

If surgery is recommended, neurosurgeons have a variety of options available to help relieve pressure on the nerve roots. If several nerve roots and discs are causing the pain or if degeneration and instability exist in the spinal column, the neurosurgeon may choose: a minimally invasive approach a more open decompression or fusing the vertebrae together with bone grafts and stabilizing them with instrumentation, including metal plates, screws, rods and cages, depending on the extent of disease. After such surgery, patients may gain restored mobility in the back, including the ability to bend over. In addition, patients may require postoperative physical therapy.

The benefits of surgery should always be weighed carefully against the risks. Although a large percentage of patients with low back pain report significant pain relief after surgery, it is not guaranteed that surgery will help.

Be Careful How You Lift

As a new parent, you will be lifting and bending frequently. Improper lifting is one of the most common reasons people experience back pain, so employing the correct methods can be really helpful in reducing discomfort.

The recommended advice is to squat down, bend your knees, and lift from the knees keeping your waist straight. Unfortunately, bending at the waist and hunching over feels much more natural, but that precise movement can exacerbate back pain.

You can practice your lifting posture by using a kettlebell to do gentle lifting exercises.

Back Care: First Line Treatments

Infographic:

See Pulled Back Muscle Treatment

Initial pain management techniques may include a combination of:

  • A short period of rest, limited to one or two days, in which strenuous activity is minimized and excess pressure is kept off the spine. Sitting in a reclined position, with the legs supported and elevated is typically a comfortable position that minimizes stress on the lower back.
  • Over-the-counter pain medication, including NSAIDs or acetaminophen. Popular brand names include Tylenol, Advil, and Aleve.
  • Application of ice or a cold pack to the lower back to decrease local inflammation, which often accompanies back pain as a response to injury. Ice is typically recommended within the first 48 hours of the onset of pain. It is important to avoid direct application of ice to the skin .
  • Application of heat to ease muscle tension, relieve muscle spasms, and increase oxygenated blood flow to the area to facilitate healing. Most of the time, heat works best when used after the first 48 hours of back pain.
  • Small adjustments to posture or daily activities that take pressure off the spine. For example, move carefully and/or with assistance from a sitting to a standing position, and take frequent short walks, as tolerated, to maintain a healthy blood flow and reduce stiffness.

After a short rest period, it is recommended that patients stay active, as too much rest can add to stiffness and discomfort.

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What Is Back Pain

Back pain refers to pain that you may feel in your back or spine. It is a very common problem: 1 in 6 Australians report having back problems, and 4 out of 5 experience it sometime in their life. While both men and women report that they experience back problems, it is more commonly reported by people 25 years and older.

Back pain can be grouped into different categories. Lower back pain refers to pain felt in the lower part of the spine . Back problems can also affect the upper back , the neck as well as the tailbone .

People experience back pain in different ways. Some people say it feels like a sharp pain other people report aches or spasms. You may feel stiff, or find it hard to turn or bend in certain directions. In some cases, such as sciatica, pain can travel down one or both your legs.

Back pain can impact you physically and mentally. People suffering from back pain may feel irritable or short-tempered. They may worry about whether the pain will control their life and may experience feelings of helplessness.

Physical Activity And Low Back Care

Can Mattress Toppers Cause Lower Back Pain?

Regular physical activity is necessary even during an episode of back pain, as exercise helps maintain muscle strength and joint function. Regular exercise also encourages the healing process by increasing oxygen and nutrient rich blood flow to the spine.

See Exercise and Back Pain

People with back pain may find that low-impact aerobic exercise, which raises the heart rate without jolting the spine, allows for adequate exercise despite pain. Examples of simple, low-impact aerobic exercises include:

  • Exercise walking or walking briskly enough to elevate the heart rate for between 30 and 40 minutes. Walking can serve as a good starting point for someone looking to improve their physical health, and it is versatile enough to be done anywhere the patient is comfortableon the track or treadmill at a local gym, around the neighborhood, or at a shopping mall. For many with lower back pain, it is a good idea to start with shorter walks and gradually, over a period of weeks, build up to walking for 30 minutes or more at a time.
  • If walking is too painful or makes pain worse, water therapy may be a good alternative. The buoyancy of the water helps to support the patients weight in a more controlled manner, allowing for adequate exercise without putting as much pressure on the spine.

Other low-impact aerobics include the use of stationary bicycles or elliptical machines.

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Referred Pain To And From The Lumbar Spine

Pain in the area of the lumbar spine may be due to important problems that are actually unrelated to the back. Referred pain occurs when a problem in one place in the body causes pain in another place. The pain travels down a nerve.. Sources of referred pain to the low back may include abdominal aneurysm , tubal pregnancy, kidney stones, pancreatitis, and colon cancer. Clues to these maladies include pain that waxes and wanes over a short period, with frequent peaks of intense pain, weight loss, abnormalities found during abdominal exam, and trace amounts of blood in the urine. On the other hand, pain can be referred from the low back and be felt in another location, as is often the case with . For example, it is not rare for a patient with a slipped disc in the lower back to have pain in the back of the thigh, or in the calf or even the foot, and not have any low back pain. This situation requires a doctor to sort out the type of pain and to do the examination required to show that the pain is actually coming from the spine .

What Causes Lower Back Pain

Many injuries, conditions and diseases can cause lower back pain. They include:

  • Strains and sprains: Back strains and sprains are the most common cause of back pain. You can injure muscles, tendons or ligaments by lifting something too heavy or not lifting safely. Some people strain their back by sneezing, coughing, twisting or bending over.
  • Fractures: The bones in the spine can break during an accident, like a car crash or a fall. Certain conditions increase the risk of fractures.
  • Disk problems: Disks cushion the vertebrae . Disks can bulge from their position in the spine and press on a nerve. They can also tear . With age, disks can get flatter and offer less protection .
  • Structural problems: A condition called spinal stenosis happens when the spinal column is too narrow for the spinal cord. Something pinching the spinal cord can cause severe sciatic nerve pain and lower back pain. Scoliosis can lead to pain, stiffness and difficulty moving.
  • Arthritis: Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis to cause lower back pain. Ankylosing spondylitis causes lower back pain, inflammation and stiffness in the spine.
  • Disease:Spine tumors, infections and several types of cancer can cause back pain. Other conditions can cause back pain, too. These include kidney stones and abdominal aortic aneurysm.
  • Spondylolisthesis: This condition causes the vertebrae in the spine to slip out of place. Spondylolisthesis leads to low back pain and often leg pain as well.

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Try To Boost Your Mood

No, the lower back pain isnt in your head, but obsessing over it could be making it worse. Fear, anxiety, and catastrophizing can amplify pain, says Dr. Mackey. Because brain circuits that process pain overlap dramatically with circuits involved with emotions, panic can translate into actual pain. Start by accepting that you have pain, Dr. Mackey says. Then say to yourself, it will get better. If you struggle with overall mental wellbeingsay, you have anxiety or depressionin addition to your physical aches, it could be worth seeing a therapist to manage negative thought processes while exploring other lower back pain treatments.

Urgent Advice: Ask For An Urgent Gp Appointment Or Get Help From 111 If:

How to Relieve Lower Back Pain IN SECONDS

You have back pain and:

  • a high temperature
  • you’ve lost weight without trying to
  • there’s a lump or swelling in your back or your back has changed shape
  • the pain does not improve after resting or is worse at night
  • the pain is made worse when sneezing, coughing or pooing
  • the pain is coming from the top of your back , rather than your lower back

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Best Painkillers For Severe Lower Back Pain

If it lasts three months or longer, back pain is taken into consideration persistent. It can go as well as come, frequently bringing momentary alleviation, adhered to by disappointment. Handling persistent back pain can be especially attempting if you do not understand the reason. Best Painkillers For Severe Lower Back Pain

Below are some easy manner ins which you can use to treat your back pain.

Narrowing Of The Spinal Canal

When the spinal canal becomes narrow, it compresses and adds a lot of pressure to the spinal nerves that travel through the path. Thereby causing irritation to the nerves, which results in the generation of pain, numbness and tingling sensations. The narrowing of the spinal canal is called spinal stenosis.

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Protect Your Discs Immediately After Waking

The pressure within your discs rises up to 240% when you sleep at night .6 At this time, your discs are fully hydrated and are typically at a higher risk of herniation when subject to bending or lifting forces.5,6

Maintaining a straight back for an hour or two after waking allows your discs to regain their normal pressure and withstand loads more effectively.5,6

Back Care For Lower Back Pain

10 Tips For Lower Back Pain To Help You Feel Better Faster

For everyday causes of lower back pain, standard at-home pain management is a reasonable approach. In fact, most cases of lower back pain are caused by a muscle strain and will get better relatively quickly and do not require treatment from a medical professional.

If pain has lasted longer than one to two weeks, or begins to interfere with ones mobility and daily activities, or if there are troubling symptoms, seeking care from a medical professional is recommended.

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Doctors Have Been Treating Lower Back Pain All Wrong

When Julie Price threw out her back for the second time in December, she knew she needed help.

It was immobilizing and intense, Price, a 37-year-old New York City-based accountant, told The Huffington Post.

Price, a former athlete, felt she had lost a lot of strength after two pregnancies. She also has flat feet, alignment issues and bad knees, so she realized she couldnt take care of everything alone.

Although the pain started to lessen on its own, Price went to see Allen Chen, director of physiatry at NewYork-Presbyterian/The Spine Hospital, who specializes in treating spine injuries.

Chen, after ruling out structural problems with her spine, prescribed physical therapy once a week and home exercises. She doesnt have any pain now, and she feels stronger, not just in her back but also in her core and legs, she said.

Last week I was able to squat without anything hurting, which I never thought would happen, she said. The physical therapy has made a world of difference.

The American College of Physicians, in new guidelines released this week, says a lot more patients should receive the type of treatment Chen prescribed for Price.

Doctors need to educate their patients that lower back pain is like a common cold unpleasant but hard to treat and likely to go away on its own. And chances are painkillers wont do much to help.

Early Physical Therapy For Low Back Pain Associated With Less Health Care Utilization

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While rates varied from state to state, early initiation of physical therapy for acute low back pain was associated with less 30-day and 1-year health care utilization in the United States, according to published results.

Researchers used the Truven MarketScan database to identify 979,223 patients who presented with acute low back pain between 2010 and 2014. They compared health care utilization and spending between 110,834 patients who received early physical therapy and 868,389 patients who did not receive early PT. Early PT was defined by at least one session within 2 weeks after the index visit for LBP. PT prescriptions and spending rates were assessed by U.S. state.

BMC Health Serv Res

Researchers found patients who received early PT had lower health care utilization at 30 days and 1 year. At 30 days, early PT was associated with lower odds of chiropractor visits , pain specialist visits , ED visits , advanced imaging , orthopedic visits and epidural steroid injections . Additionally, patients who received early PT had a mean LBP-related spending of $1,180, while patients who did not receive early PT had a mean LBP-related spending of $1,250 at 30 days. However, at 1 year, patients who received early PT had a mean LBP-related spending of $2,588, while patients who did not receive early PT had a mean LBP-related spending of $2,510.

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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

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Bonus Tip: Lower Back Pain Is Directly Impacted By Your Overall Health

7 Best Lower Back Pain Relief Treatments – Ask Doctor Jo

When you improve your overall physical fitness and general health, it will benefit your lower back. The following simple measures can help prevent the development, chronicity, or flaring of your lower back pain, such as:

  • Staying active
  • Minimizing the consumption of alcohol
  • Getting enough deep, restorative sleep
  • Following an anti-inflammatory diet

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Symptoms Of Lower Back Pain

The symptoms of lower back pain can vary from person to person. It may come on suddenly, perhaps after youve lifted something heavy or moved in a way thats hurt your back. Or it may come on gradually over time or for no clear reason. Some people get a dull pain in their back, while others describe it as more of a tearing or burning pain. You may find certain things make the pain worse, and other things help to relieve it. The pain can range from mild to severe.

If you have sciatica, pain can spread from your back or buttock down your leg, sometimes as far as your foot or toes.

Be Proactive About Your Back Pain Treatment Plan

If the current treatment plan for your back pain isnt working, consider researching various spine specialists on your own. There may be a different type of health professional who is better suited to treat your condition.

Before you see a specialist, write down a clear description of your symptoms and the treatments youve tried. This written record can help you to better communicate with your new doctor. Also, dont be shy about seeking a second opinion if you think it will help alleviate your back pain.

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What Happens When I Visit A Back Doctor

We gather a full medical history of your back problems and perform detailed physical examinations, said Dr. Guo. That includes checking for tenderness, spine range of motion, strength, sensation, and reflexes. Depending on your symptoms, we may perform provocative tests to find out what triggers your pain. We may order imaging studies, such as X-rays, MRIs, or CT scans. We may order electromyography and a nerve conduction study, which assess whether you have muscle and/or nerve problems that may cause your symptoms. We use all the information to help identify the cause of your back pain and associated symptoms, and provide the most appropriate treatments for you.

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