What Type Of Doctor Should I See For Back Pain
This depends on your condition or symptoms. If you have no obvious injury that would explain your pain, you may want to start by seeing a . This is a specialist in physical medicine who can diagnose back pain and determine whether nonsurgical treatments such as physical therapy may help. Depending on those findings, a physiatrist may also refer you to a , doctor or other type of back specialist, , for additional discussion.
What Causes Lower Back Pain While Sleeping
Waking up from a restless nights sleep can have a detrimental impact on your day. Sadly, lower back pain is one of the most common causes of sleepless nights and in the UK alone, of the adult population suffer from lower back pain.
Whilst we may work on our posture during the day, when it comes to sleeping, considerations to how we sleep i.e. our mattresses, pillows and sleep positions often get neglected.
For the lucky few, after a few movements, stiffness in joints and lower back pain may ease but for others, there may be an underlying cause that needs further investigation.
If Youre Experiencing Lower Back Pain Visit The Orthopedic Clinic
At the Orthopedic Clinic, we want you to live your life in full motion. If youre experiencing pain or discomfort, let us help you. Our clinic provides a variety of services and specialized care to get you back on your feet sooner on a budget you can feel good about.
Contact us or call us at to schedule an appointment.
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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 who are obese 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.
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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Muscle Or Ligament Strains
Muscle overuse due to repetitive motions can cause strains on your muscles or ligaments resulting in painful muscle spasms. An example of repetitive muscle overuse can be seen in someone who works in manual labor and repeatedly lifts items for their job each day. This overuse can lead to muscle or ligament strains which can turn into chronic pain if ignored.
Bad Bad Posture And Other Small Habits
A lot of people blame back pain on sudden, excessive movement but the truth of the matter is that most back pains are actually caused by small, everyday stressors like bad posture.
Look, were all guilty of slouching at some point in our lives. The thing is, this bad habit causes upper back pain and puts us at risk for spinal deformities later in life.
Other small things like using bad office furniture or ill-fitting shoes can also cause back pain in the long run. Studies even show that men tend to suffer from lower back pain simply because they put their wallets in their back pockets. These might seem like small inconveniences, but they could be quite dangerous when they add up.
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Common And Uncommon Causes Of Back Pain
There are almost as many causes of back pain as there are words to describe the pain and related symptoms! Although muscle spasms are the most common cause of back pain, the spine can be susceptible to some of the same problems as other parts of your body . This article summarizes some of the other common and two uncommon causes of back pain.A spinal sprain or strain can happen if you fall, use poor body mechanics and many other ways.Photo Source: 123RF.com.
Most Common Causes Of Upper Back Pain
Most of us will suffer from back pain in our lifetime. Upper back pain and lower back pain can be different in the way they present and their underlying cause. Here are some common causes of upper back pain. In Denton, Texas there are many doctors and chiropractors to help determine the cause of your pain.
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Physical Stressors That Affect Your Back
Your back is a complex system of tendons, ligaments, muscles, bones, and spinal nerves that play an integral part in every move you make. Even sitting perfectly still requires cooperation from your back.
Its structural complexity and significant contribution to your daily activities also makes your back vulnerable to a wide variety of conditions that cause pain. Some of the physical stressors linked to back pain include:
- Muscle, tendon, and/or ligament strain and injury
- Nerve irritation and inflammation
- Reduced strength and flexibility of your core muscle groups
- Poor posture
Overuse injuries sustained during work and/or sports injuries may also stress your back and lead to ongoing pain.
Bulging Or Herniated Discs
A disc sits between each of your vertebrae, serving as a cushion between the weight of the bones in your spine. As you age, these cushioning discs gradually wear down and are weakened. Sometimes, the soft material inside a disk can bulge or rupture and press on a nerve causing significant pain. Other times, you may not feel the back pain at all, only finding out you have a problem through a routine appointment. Occasionally, a herniated disc will slide far enough out of its place that it will compress a nearby nerve, causing a pinched nerve.
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The 5 Most Common Causes Of Back Pain
May 11, 2020
Suffering from back pain? Youre not alone. This condition has been plaguing millions of Americans for decades. Studies even show that back pain is one of the most common reasons why people miss work each year. Its also the third most common reason why people visit the doctor, next only to skin disorders and joint problems.Fact is, 8 in 10 people suffer from back pain. If youre part of that statistic, youll know that enduring this discomfort is no easy task. Thankfully, there are solutions to this prevalent problem. In this article, we pinpoint the top 5 causes of back pain and what you can do to fix them. If youre eager to rid yourself of back pain, lets dive right in:
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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Muscle Strain And Ligament Sprain
A low back sprain or strain can happen suddenly, or can develop slowly over time from repetitive movements.
- Strains occur when a muscle is stretched too far and tears, damaging the muscle itself.
- Sprains happen when over-stretching and tearing affects ligaments, which connect the bones together.
For practical purposes, it does not matter whether the muscle or ligament is damaged, as the symptoms and treatment are the same.
Common causes of sprain and strain include:
- Lifting a heavy object, or twisting the spine while lifting
- Sudden movements that place too much stress on the low back, such as a fall
- Poor posture over time
- Sports injuries, especially in sports that involve twisting or large forces of impact
While sprains and strains do not sound serious and do not typically cause long-lasting pain, the acute pain can be quite severe.
Common Causes Of Chronic Back Pain
Chronic back painis usually age-related, but can also result from a prior injury. The mostcommon causes include:
- Arthritis of the spine the gradual thinning of the cartilage inside the spine
- Spinal stenosis narrowing of the spinal canal that may lead to nerve pain
- Disc problems, such as a herniated or bulging disc
- Myofascial pain syndromeunexplained muscle pain and tenderness
In some cases, its difficult to pinpoint the cause of chronic back pain.If your doctor has exhausted all diagnostic options, its time to seek asecond opinion from a back pain specialist, recommends Nava. Itsimportant not to make rushed decisions or undergo extensive medicalprocedures until the origin of the pain is found. Not only may they nothelp they could make the pain worse, warns Nava.
If the source of the pain is not known or cant be treated, your bestoption may be to work with your doctor on reducing the flare-ups and makingthe pain manageable with nonsurgical treatments.
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Causes Of Chronic Lower Back Pain
Pain is considered chronic once it lasts for more than three months and exceeds the bodys natural healing process. Chronic pain in the low back often involves a disc problem, a joint problem, and/or an irritated nerve root. Common causes include:
Lumbar herniated disc. The jelly-like center of a lumbar disc can break through the tough outer layer and irritate a nearby nerve root. The herniated portion of the disc is full of proteins that cause inflammation when they reach a nerve root, and inflammation, as well as nerve compression, cause nerve root pain. The disc wall is also richly supplied by nerve fibers, and a tear through the wall can cause severe pain.
Degenerative disc disease. At birth, intervertebral discs are full of water and at their healthiest. As people age over time, discs lose hydration and wear down. As the disc loses hydration, it cannot resist forces as well, and transfers force to the disc wall that may develop tears and cause pain or weakening that can lead to a herniation. The disc can also collapse and contribute to stenosis.
See Lumbar Degenerative Disc Disease
Facet joint dysfunction. There are two facet joints behind each disc at each motion segment in the lumbar spine. These joints have cartilage between the bones and are surrounded by a capsular ligament, which is richly innervated by nerves. These joints can be painful by themselves, or in conjunction with disc pain.
Mattress How Your Mattress Affects Your Lower Back Pain
We already know the importance of maintaining a straight spine whilst sleeping to ease lower back pain however, the mattress you lay on can either help your sleeping position or it can hinder it. If youre trying to maintain the correct sleeping position but your mattress is too soft, then all your efforts to correct posture and ease pain will be in vain.
An excessively soft mattress that does not support your body weight will begin to sag. The sagging in your mattress will ultimately lead to your body posture and alignment dipping, usually in larger areas such as your back.
With so many mattress options available, how do you determine the best one for you?
A popular mattress choice to ease muscle ache and back pain is an orthopaedic mattress. They are designed to offer sleepers the best support around joints and the back, helping maintain a natural sleep position and encourage your spine to remain straight and distribute weight evenly.
Ultimately, when looking to update your mattress we always recommend you try the mattress out, check the firmness and speak with an expert.
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When Should I See A Doctor If I Have Lower Back Pain
In many cases lower back pain stops on its own. But if it doesnt, here are some guidelines on when you may want to start seeking professional help:
- If the pain lasts four weeks or longer
- If the pain keeps getting worse as time goes by
- If you are experiencing other symptoms, such as fever, major weight loss or weight gain, loss of function or weakness in extremities, bladder problems, etc.
What Research Is Being Done
The mission of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke is to seek fundamental knowledge of the brain and nervous system and to use that knowledge to reduce the burden of neurological disease. NINDS is a component of the National Institutes of Health , the leading supporter of biomedical research in the world.
As a primary supporter of research on pain and pain mechanisms, NINDS is a member of the NIH Pain Consortium, which was established to promote collaboration among the many NIH Institutes and Centers with research programs and activities addressing pain. On an even broader scale, NIH participates in the Interagency Pain Research Coordinating Committee, a federal advisory committee that coordinates research across other U.S. Department of Health and Human Services agencies as well as the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs.
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Other Causes Of Back Pain
There are many other potential causes of back pain, but most are rare. Be sure to see a doctor if you experience regular back pain that does not go away.
After ruling out the more common causes of back pain, your doctor will perform tests to determine if you have a rarer cause. These can :
- one of the vertebrae moving out of place and onto a nearby vertebra, called degenerative spondylolisthesis
- loss of nerve function at the lower spinal cord, called cauda equina syndrome
- fungal or bacterial infection of the spine, such as Staphylococcus, E. coli, or tuberculosis
Back pain can have many symptoms, including:
- a dull, aching sensation in the lower back
- a stabbing or shooting pain that can radiate down the leg to the foot
- an inability to stand up straight without pain
- a decreased range of motion and reduced ability to flex the back
The symptoms of back pain, if due to strain or misuse, are usually short lived but can last for days or weeks.
Back pain is chronic when symptoms have been present for 3 months.
What Could Cause Back Pain
According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, back pain is incredibly common with 75 to 85 percent of all Americans experiencing back pain at least once in their lives with 50 percent going through more than a single episode a year. Back pain can either be acute or chronic with the difference being that acute back pain is observed as back pain that lasts less than a month, while chronic back pain is a pain that lasts at least 3 months. The most common causes of back pain are usually from problems with one or more of these parts in the back:
- Ligaments
- Nerves
- The several bony structures that make up the spine usually called vertebral bodies or vertebrae
Back pain is usually not a cause for concern as it is very uncommon for it to be related to any sort of underlying disease, but it could be caused by a nearby organ, like the kidney.
Thankfully, the pain is relieved by itself 90% of the time without any need for surgery, although you should make an appointment with your doctor if you are experiencing prolonged back pain.
Back pain is a common injury after a car accident. Our auto injury chiropractic office is here to alleviate that pain.
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What Structures Make Up The Back
The lower backwhere most back pain occursincludes the five vertebrae in the lumbar region, which supports much of the weight of the upper body. The spaces between the vertebrae are maintained by round, rubbery pads called intervertebral discs that act like shock absorbers throughout the spinal column to cushion the bones as the body moves. Bands of tissue known as ligaments hold the vertebrae in place, and tendons attach the muscles to the spinal column. Thirty-one pairs of nerves are rooted to the spinal cord and they control body movements and transmit signals from the body to the brain.
Other regions of vertebrate are cervical , thoracic , and sacral and coccygeal segments.
Chronic Lower Back Pain
When back pain continues for more than three months, it is considered chronic. Although for most people an episode of back pain is over by that time, in some cases it progresses and can have a major impact on ones ability to function. For some patients, physical therapy with local heat or ice application , combined with a home exercise program and education in proper positions for lifting and other movement techniques can make a major difference. Patients must learn to tolerate a certain degree of pain, or they may allow themselves to become more disabled than necessary. Patients at the Hospital for Special Surgery have had success with graded exercise to work through the pain, gradually increasing the exercise quota at each session so they can learn to tolerate more exercise in spite of the pain, and get back to work and activities. Read more detail on this topic in .
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