HOW COMMON IS LOW BACK PAIN?
Due to changing life style low back pain is very common and affects about 80% of people. Majority of the pain is due to mechanical causes (muscles, ligaments, joints and bones).
WHAT ARE THE COMMON CAUSES?
- Poor posture
- Riding on bad roads with bad posture is very dangerous
- Muscle soreness from over-activity. Muscles and ligament fibers can be overstretched or injured.
ETIOLOGY
- Disc bulge/extrusion/protrusion
- Disk Degeneration
- Spondylolisthesis
- Spinal Stenosis
- Trauma/Fractures
- Infection- septic/TB
- Kypho-Scoliosis
- Spinal-arthritis
- Tumour
- Auto-immune diseases- ankylossing spondylitis
- Referred pain from gall baldder or renal calculi
WHAT DO YOU EXPERIENCE?
Back pain is sharp or stabbing. It can be dull, achy, or feel like a throbbing or burning type cramp. The type of pain you have will depend on the underlying cause of your back pain.
- Back pain aggrevates with bending and lifting.
- Sitting for >2hours may worsen pain and produce numbness and relieved on bending forward
- Back pain comes and goes and often follows an up and down course with good days and bad days.
- Pain on lying flat on bed
- Pain aggrevates on travelling and radiates upto your thighs.
- Radiating pain may extend from the back into the buttock or outer hip area, but not down the leg (SCIATICA).
- Pins and needles sensation in lower limbs
- Numbness in lower limbs
- Repeated muscle cramps
WHAT TO DO?
- Rest- lying on bed
- Hot/cold compress
- Liniment application
- Regular walking in sunshine
- Exercises and stretches
RED FLAG SIGNS!
- Sudden increase in back pain that impairs daily activities
- Back pain with bowel or bladder control problems
- Leg weakness
- Fever
- Back pain when coughing
- Unexpected weight loss
YOU SHOULD CALL YOUR DOCTOR
HOW YOUR DOCTOR WILL MANAGE?
- Clinical examination
- Neurological examination
- Imaging studies
- Nerve conduction study
TREATMENT
- Medication
- Exercise
- Physiotherapy
- Epidural Steroid Therapy
- Nerve blocks
- Surgical procedures
HOW TO PREVENT AND AVOID BACK PAIN?
- Spine exercise and stretches- pelvic bridge, cat and dog stretch exercise
- Proper lifting of heavy items by bending knees
- Avoid Smoking
- Good posture while working, riding bike etc.
- Drink adequate water while exercising
- Good walk in sunlight
WALK REGULARLY AND STRETCH UNDER THE SUN TO SHINE YOUR SPINE TO MAKE IT FEEL FINE!