Spine pain or back pain is a very
common complaint. Even though it may be painful and uncomfortable, it isn’t
usually serious. Under common circumstances spine problems
often appear if there is any discomfort in your spinal joints, spinal muscles,
spinal discs and spinal nerves.
It is significantly more common
among adults aged between 35 to 55 years. Spine problem can be further divided
into, lower back or upper back. The lower back is commonly linked to the bony
lumbar spine, lower back muscles, ligaments around the spine and discs, discs
between the vertebrae, spinal cord and nerves, and pelvic
internal organs, the skin around the lumbar area and abdomen. On the other hand
the upper back may be due to disorders of the aorta, spine inflammation, and
tumors in the chest. In many cases, it is impossible to find the main cause for
the spine problem.
When a cause is found, common
clarifications included are;
·
Stress or severe back pain injury
·
Fracture
·
Back strain
·
Heavy exertion
·
Overload of back muscles due to obesity
·
Unusual back pain –lifting heavy objects or
pregnancy
·
Diseases or injury involving backbone (vertebrae)
·
Bone-thinning disease osteoporosis
·
Degenerative arthritis - wear & tear of the
muscles
·
Spinal nerve disorder - Protruding disk (a
fibrous cushion between vertebrae) or spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal
canal)
·
Kidney stones or a kidney infection
(pyelonephritis)
·
Other rarer conditions include:
·
Inflammatory arthritis - Ankylosing spondylitis
·
A spinal tumor or a cancer spread to the spine
from elsewhere in the body
·
Infection in the disk space, bone
(osteomyelitis), abdomen, pelvis or bloodstream
Symptoms
o Back
sprain or strain
o Fibromyalgia
- group of common rheumatoid (pertaining to arthritis) disorders characterized
by achy pain, tenderness, and stiffness of muscles
o Degenerative
arthritis of the spine – stiffness and trouble bending over usually develops
over years.
o Inflammatory
arthritis – includes pain in the lower back, morning stiffness in the back,
neck, chest, and hips.
o Osteoporosis
– thinned, weakened bones that fracture easily, common in postmenopausal women.
o Cancer
in the spinal bones or nearby structures – Constant Back pain, numbness,
weakening or tingling of the legs. Spreads across spinal nerves that control
the bladder and bowel, there may be bowel or bladder incontinence (loss of
control).
o Protruding
disk - severe pain in the lower back, the pain gets worse while bending or
twisting.
o Spinal
stenosis – Pain, numbness and weakness affecting back and legs, these symptoms
may get worse when you are standing or walking for too long.
o
Pyelonephritis – kidney infection causing severe pain beneath the ribs
in the back.
Diagnosis
After confirming your symptoms and
medical history, your doctor will examine your back muscles and spine and will
ask you to move in a certain ways or direction to check for pain, numbness,
stiffness, abnormal reflexes, muscle tenderness or weakness. He may recommend
you to do one or more of the following tests:
o X-rays
of your back
o Blood
test
o Urine
tests
o Spinal
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
o Computed
tomography (CT) scans
o Nerve
conduction studies and electromyography to determine whether nerves, muscles or
both may be injured
o Bone
scans, especially if you have a previous history of cancer
Preventive measure for spinal care
You can prevent some form of spinal
problem by strengthening your back with exercise and avoiding activities that
may lead to serious spinal injury. Here are some simple preventive measures
that may help you prevent spinal injury.
o Maintaining
good body posture
o By
making simple changes in your sleeping postures can relieve the strain of back
pain.
o Regularly
exercising
o Abdominal
crunches (to strengthen your abdominal muscles)
o Walking
and swimming are also effective ways to strengthen your lower back.
o Remember
to lift objects from a squatting position, pass on the object weight equally on
your hips & legs to avoid cramps or twists.
o Avoiding
standing or sitting for too long.
o Choose
your footwear wisely, ensure they are comfortable.
o Make
sure you get enough calcium and vitamin D daily.
o Woman
with menopause should consult with doctor for osteoporosis and medications that
can help them to prevent or reverse it.
There are a number of treatments
available and most episodes of spinal pain are not so serious and can be
anticipated to be treated with time and simple lifestyle modifications. Unlike
the other serious condition that requires appropriate care and treatment are to
be treated with professional help.
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