What is Back Pain?

Acute or short-term low back pain generally lasts from a few days to a few weeks. Most acute back pain is the result of trauma to the lower back or a disorder such as arthritis. Pain from trauma may be caused by a sports injury, work around the house or in the garden, or a sudden jolt such as a car accident or other stress on spinal bones and tissues. Symptoms may range from muscle ache to shooting or stabbing pain, limited flexibility and range of motion, or an inability to stand straight. Chronic back pain is pain that persists for more than 3 months. It is often progressive and the cause can be difficult to determine.

Currently, researchers are examining the use of different drugs to effectively treat back pain, in particular, chronic pain that has lasted at least 6 months. Other studies are comparing different health care approaches to the management of acute low back pain (standard care versus chiropractic, acupuncture, or massage therapy). These studies are measuring symptom relief, restoration of function, and patient satisfaction.

Some Causes of Lower Back Pain

Back pain is one of the most common problems suffered by the adult American population. Lower back pain is amongst the worst of these problems. There can be many reasons for lower back pain so the first thing you must do before considering treatment of any kind is to try to determine the cause of the back pain. Before your back began to hurt did you have an injury of any kind? This includes things like falling, or throwing your back, which can happen with a strong sneeze, which causes you to move sharply, or perhaps you lifted something that strained the muscles in your lower back. Any of these could be the culprit. If it is an injury you should see your health care provider. They will likely give you an anti-inflammatory and some simple exercises to do to relieve the pain.

Is the lower back pain that you are experiencing worsening when you bend over or lift even the lightest item? Is the pain remaining in your lower back, not traveling up anywhere? If so you may be experiencing muscle spasm, a pulled muscle or compression of a nerve. In this case you will need similar treatment to when you injure your back. Your health care provide will give you a prescription for an anti-inflammatory, and suggest bed rest for a couple of days with regular heating pad or hot water bottle sessions. After this couple of days the physician will want you do to some gentle exercises to strengthen your back muscles so this does not happen again. If the pain doesn't get better in a week you should go to see your physician again.

Are you pregnant? This can cause lower back pain especially as the pregnancy comes into the third trimester. As long as its only back pain a mild heat treatment should help. If it gets worse or you have a fever or any bleeding with the back pain see your health care provider immediately. These symptoms could be signs of a problem.

A herniated disc can also cause some serious lower back pain. If you have pain that radiates from your lower spine down into your knee, ankle or simply down your leg these are signs that should be reported to your health care provider. But, if you have sudden weakness in your legs, or you lose bowel or bladder control, which are also signs of a herniated disc, you should get to the nearest emergency unit of a hospital. Have your physician meet you there if they have been following your back problems.

Does a rash accompany your back pain? Is it on your chest and back? If this rash looks similar to blisters, and feels like it is burning you likely have shingles. Shingles is a form of chickenpox that usually attacks a person over fifty. This can be very uncomfortable so your doctor will need to prescribe medications for you.

Whatever causes your back pain don't let it remain untreated.

Written by: Scott Parat