What Can Stop Lower Back Pain

What Are The Symptoms Of Low Back Pain

Low back pain is classified as acute and chronic. Acute low back pain lasts from a few days to a few weeks. Most acute low back pain will resolve on its own. Chronic low back pain lasts for more than 3 months and often gets worse. The cause of chronic low back pain can be hard to find. These are the most common symptoms of low back pain. Symptoms may include discomfort or pain in the lower back that is:

• Protruding or herniated disk

What Causes Low Back Pain

It might develop suddenly, like after you lift something heavy. Or it might come on slowly.

As you get older, the structure of your back begins to show wear and tear. Doctors call it âspondylosis,â which means your spineâs joints, disks, and vertebrae get worse over time. This slow decline can lead to many problems, like the following:

• Strains. This means you overstretch or tear your tendons or muscle. You can do this by twisting, lifting something thatâs too heavy, or lifting something the wrong way.

• Degenerated disks. When these are healthy, they cushion your back as you bend, flex, and twist. As disks begin to wear out, they no longer absorb the shock of these movements well.

• Herniated or ruptured disks. Normal disks are rubbery. When they become squeezed, a portion bulges out between your vertebrae.

• Radiculopathy. A spinal nerve can become pinched or inflamed. This can cause low back pain to travel down your legs. It can also cause numbness or tingling.

• Sciatica. This is the type of radiculopathy that affects the sciatic nerve, which runs from your butt down the backs of your legs. When itâs inflamed, you may feel burning or pain like an electrical shock that may go all the way down to your feet.

• Spondylolisthesis. In this condition, a vertebra slips out of place and pinches spinal nerves.

• Spinal stenosis. Your spinal column may narrow over time, putting pressure on your nerves. Your legs may feel numb and grow weaker.

Fall Asleep Faster And Sleep Longer

When you have a restful nights sleep, your back will feel less sore during the day.7 A night of restorative sleep can have healing benefits and make you feel refreshed, rejuvenated, and less stressed.

Watch Video: 11 Unconventional Sleep Tips: How to Get to Sleep and Stay Asleep

Try these natural sleep aids, one at a time, to see which one works best for you:

• Vitamins C and B6. The natural steroids in your body control your metabolism and promote good sleep.8,9 Supplements of vitamins C10 and B611 are known to help the body produce and regulate natural steroid hormones.
• Melatonin. Your natural sleep hormone, melatonin can be taken as a supplement to improve your sleep cycle.
• L-theanine. An amino acid found in tea leaves, L-theanine may help some people feel relaxed and get better sleep.
• Valerian. Supplements made from the root of the valerian plant may help you sleep faster and stay asleep longer.

Another option is cherry juice or cherry extractscherries contain certain enzymes that help promote better sleep.4

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Stop Looking For A Specific Diagnosis

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Stop focusing on a specific diagnosis. Up to 85% of low back pain can be classified as “non-specific.” This means that the origin of your pain cannot be localized to one specific structure or problem.

While common diagnostic tests for low back pain can show the bones, discs, and joints with great detail, no test can tell the exact cause of your pain with 100% accuracy.

Low Back Pain Fact Sheet

If you have had lower back pain, you are not alone. Back pain is one of most common reasons people see a doctor or miss days at work. Even school-age children can have back pain.

Back pain can range in intensity from a dull, constant ache to a sudden, sharp or shooting pain. It can begin suddenly as a result of an accident or by lifting something heavy, or it can develop over time as we age. Getting too little exercise followed by a strenuous workout also can cause back pain.

There are two types of back pain:

• Acute, or short-term back pain lasts a few days to a few weeks. Most low back pain is acute. It tends to resolve on its own within a few days with self-care and there is no residual loss of function. In some cases a few months are required for the symptoms to disappear.
• Chronic back pain is defined as pain that continues for 12 weeks or longer, even after an initial injury or underlying cause of acute low back pain has been treated. About 20 percent of people affected by acute low back pain develop chronic low back pain with persistent symptoms at one year. Even if pain persists, it does not always mean there is a medically serious underlying cause or one that can be easily identified and treated. In some cases, treatment successfully relieves chronic low back pain, but in other cases pain continues despite medical and surgical treatment.

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Strengthen Your Core At Your Desk

Having a desk job may be beyond your control but that doesnt mean you have to remain completely sedentary. There are even exercises you can do to strengthen your core without getting out of your chair, like seated reverse jack knives. Simply sit on the edge of your chair, maintaining an upright chest as you lean slightly back. For stability, grab onto the sides of your chair as you extend your legs out in front of you and engage your core. Pull your knees in tight, then extend straight. Repeat 10 times.

Which Lifestyle Factors Contribute To Lower Back Pain

There are three major lifestyle factors that may affect your chances of developing lower back pain:

• Multiple studies have established a link between smoking and lower back pain. Smoking raises inflammation inside the body and hinders the body from healing itself.
• Obesity is also associated with several types of chronic pain, including lower back pain. In people with high body mass index , the stress on the spine increases, contributing to even more wear and tear.
• Your level of physical activity can also play a role in your lower back health. While a sedentary lifestyle could increase your risk of developing lower back pain, so can excessive or strenuous physical activity. Check with your doctor if you are unsure about your ideal level of physical activity.

Also Check: How To Lose Fat On Your Lower Back

Being Mindful Of Your Movements

How many times has someone told you to lift with your legs, not with your back? Though its almost become cliché, its good advice. Your lower back supports a lot of the function of your body. Even if you lift using correct posture most of the time, a few haphazard hoists can be all it takes to cause long-term pain.

For example, parents with small children will lean over and pick them up out of a crib several times a day. Once or twice might not put much strain on the back, but repeating this movement hundreds or thousands of times over the years can cause serious discomfort. Mind those movements today, and your back will be more forgiving in the future.

Why Is Lower Back Pain Such A Common Problem

The bottom part of your back typically has just five vertebrae fewer than your neck and mid-back. And these vertebrae do a lot of heavy lifting! Your lower back is where your spine connects to your pelvis, bearing the weight of your upper body. This area experiences a lot of movement and stress, which may lead to wear, tear and injuries.

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Upper Back Pain When Sitting

Many people experience pain in their necks and upper backs as a result of craning forward while sitting to look at a computer monitor or phone display. Although its tempting to sprawl out and watch television for hours, this can also easily throw your back out of alignment.

That uncomfortable feeling of stiffness when you finally do move or stand up is telling you something.

Better posture makes a difference.

Its likely your parents or teachers cautioned you to sit up straight when you were a child, and with good reason.

Sitting in one position too long isnt healthy. Doing it with your back rounded forward, slumped to one side, or leaning too far back can put stress on parts of your spine for an extended period. This can lead to pain, as well as other issues.

To help you sit straighter, position your body along an imaginary straight line extending the length of your back, out of your head, and up to the ceiling. Keep your shoulders level and dont let your pelvis rotate forward. Doing so causes a curve in your lower back.

If you sit up perfectly straight, youll feel the small of your back stretch and lengthen.

Treating Chronic Back Pain

There are two main types of back pain treatments short-term and long-term. Short-term treatments are like a temporary patch, theyll help you manage your pain for a set period of time, but the pain will eventually return. The goal of long-term back pain treatments is to provide lasting relief. Both types of treatments have their purpose.

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Sleep On A Quality Mattress

Lower back pain sufferers usually benefit from sleeping on a medium-firm mattress. However, your preferred sleep position also should influence your mattress selection. To maintain good posture, side sleepers should select a softer mattress. Back and stomach sleepers should choose a firmer mattress. If you have lower back pain, its a good idea to avoid sleeping on your stomach altogether.

If your lower back pain doesnt improve after 4 to 6 weeks of home care using these suggestions, you should see your doctor. You also should contact your doctor right away if you have any red flags, including:

• A history of cancer or a recent infection
• A recent fall or other accident
• Extreme fatigue
• Signs of infection, such as fever, chills, sweats
• Nerve problems, such as shooting pain, numbness or tingling
• Changes in bowel or bladder function

Other options for treating lower back pain may include physical therapy, pain management with cortisone injections or, in certain cases, surgery. Although lower back surgery can be beneficial for patients who are experiencing nerve problems and injured discs, its not typically recommended for patients with other types of lower back pain.

Download the Virtua Health Guide to Back Pain, or call to request a consultation with a Virtua back pain specialist.

Modify Your Workout To Be Low

Many people with back pain avoid exercise out of fear of making it worse. While it is true that high-impact movements can be tough on the joints and exacerbate pain, exercise strengthens your core and helps you shed extra weight two things that are vital in reducing back pain. You can modify almost any exercise to get just as good of a workout minus the impact! Even traditionally high-impact moves like jumping jacks and burpees have low-impact modifications. For a modified jumping jack, stand straight with your arms at your side. Move your right foot out to the side of your body while lifting your arms above your head. Bring the right leg back to start, and immediately bring the left foot out to the side of your body. Alternate back and forth, with no pause in between. Here are some other low-impact exercises to add to your routine.

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How To Sleep With Lower Back Pain

The lower back features an interwoven series of structures. It includes the five vertebrae of the lumbar spine, each of which is bolstered by shock-absorbing discs and held in place by ligaments. Surrounding muscles offer support and are connected to the spine by tendons. Nerves run through the spinal column to deliver signals throughout the body.

The lower back supports most of the bodys weight and is integral to all kinds of movements. Whether standing, sitting, walking, or lying down, the lower back plays a role in mobility and comfort.

Given the complexity of the lower back and how much we depend on it, it comes as no surprise that it is a leading hotspot for pain. Eight out of 10 people have back pain at some point during their life, and lower back pain is one of the top reasons why people see a doctor.

Back pain can range from mild to severe, and it may be short-lived or long-lasting. When serious, it can be debilitating and interfere with nearly all aspects of daily life, including sleep.

Pain and sleep have a complex relationship. Pain can disrupt sleep, and poor sleep can make it more likely that a person will experience pain. In addition, a sleeping position or mattress that doesnt support the lumbar spine can induce or exacerbate lower back pain.

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Tips For Dealing With Lower Back Pain

By Robert Greenleaf, MD, Spine Surgeon

Lower back pain is extremely common and one of the top reasons for missed workdays. Thats because the lower back supports the weight of the upper body and is subject to a lot of stress and strainespecially during everyday movements like lifting and twisting.

One of two things typically causes lower back pain: a sudden injury or the wear and tear of aging, arthritis and physical activity. No matter the cause of your lower back pain, here are 10 recommendations that can help you relieve it and prevent future problems.

Also Check: How To Fix Back Muscle Pain

How Common Is Lower Back Pain

Around four out of five people have lower back pain at some point in their lives. Its one of the most common reasons people visit healthcare providers.

Some people are more likely to have lower back pain than others. Risk factors for lower back pain include:

• Age: People over 30 have more back pain. Disks wear away with age. As the disks weaken and wear down, pain and stiffness can result.
• Weight: People have overweight/obesity or carry extra weight are more likely to have back pain. Excess weight puts pressure on joints and disks.
• Overall health: Weakened abdominal muscles cant support the spine, which can lead to back strains and sprains. People who smoke, drink alcohol excessively or live a sedentary lifestyle have a higher risk of back pain.
• Occupation and lifestyle: Jobs and activities that require heavy lifting or bending can increase the risk of a back injury.
• Structural problems: Severe back pain can result from conditions, such as scoliosis, that change spine alignment.
• Disease: People who have a family history of osteoarthritis, certain types of cancer and other disease have a higher risk of low back pain.
• Mental health: Back pain can result from depression and anxiety.

Support Your Back While You Sleep

Bet you didnt realize you can also be doing damage to your back while you sleep, did you? Its true. The position that we sleep in can also strain the low back. Luckily, grabbing an extra pillow and trying this effective sleeping position can help. Lying on your side, place a pillow between your knees and calves in a vertical position so that the pillow extends down your legs. This position aids in maintaining proper spinal alignment and reduces low-back pain.

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The Changing Face Of Spinal Surgery

Only a small percentage of patients with back pain are candidates for surgery, but for these patients, advances in techniques have made recovery a much easier road, says Boden of The Emory Orthopaedics and Spine Center.

Fifty years ago, a spine fusion meant a two-week hospital stay, a body cast or brace for months, and a minimum of six months away from normal activities. A spinal fusion is performed by fusing the vertebrae together with bone grafts to eliminate motion between two adjacent vertebrae where motion is causing lower back pain.

Today, minimally invasively techniques allow for smaller incisions, less blood loss, and faster recovery time, Boden says. Some spine fusion techniques can be done on an outpatient basis.

Fifty years from now, Boden predicts that disc replacement will be an alternative to spinal fusion. Moreover, gene therapy will be able to prevent or reverse disc degeneration, and genetic research will help discover genetic sources of back pain, he says.

“Gene therapy for disc regeneration may be more than five years off, but less than 20,” he predicts.

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Where Can I Get More Information

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