Archive for December 2009
My Aching Back!
You’ve probably heard, or uttered, those words. Doctors hear them often. Back pain is one of the most common complaints in medical practice.
Causes of Neck and Back Pain
What would cause a sharp searing pain on my right back side? What causes upper back shoulder pain and neck pain? What causes neck and back pain?
These are but a few of the questions asked by millions who suffer back pain each year – about 6 million in the U.S. alone. An estimated 80% of us will experience back pain sometime in our lives. It may occur by itself, or be accompanied by other symptoms such as fever and chills.
The causes of back pain are many, making diagnosis difficult and critical. We recommend that you see your doctor for all back pain. Most causes of back pain involve no serious underlying problem, and the pain can be relieved in a few days or weeks. If the causes of back pain you experience involve other symptoms, the tips offered here are not to be followed without medical advice.
Causes of back pain in the Lower Back
Low back pain affects the lower part of your back – between the bottom of your ribs in back down to the top of your legs.
Doctors break down low back pain into three categories according to how long you have had it:
1. Acute Low Back Pain – you have had it less than 6 weeks
2. Sub-acute Low Back Pain – you have had it 6 to 12 weeks
3. Chronic Low Back Pain – you have had it longer than 3 months
Causes of back pain in the lower back are most often linked to strain of back muscles, ligaments, or tendons. Sometimes the cushion between the bones is strained. Sometimes you will know the exact causes of back pain in your lower back. Other times, it may hit without warning.
Causes of back pain in the lower back include:
* past injuries that are not fully healed
* incorrect lifting techniques
* incorrect posture
* little exercise
* vehicular accidents
* improper setup of your work area
* long hours at a desk
* long hours by the TV
* Obesity
* pregnancy
Causes of Back Pain in the Mid Back
The causes of back pain in the mid back usually fall into the category of irritation or injury to muscles and ligaments of your middle spine – the area along the backs of your ribs.
Some or all of the following may be causes of back pain in your mid back:
* past injuries that are not fully healed
* incorrect lifting techniques
* incorrect posture
* little exercise
* vehicular accidents
* improper setup of your work area
* long hours at a desk
* long hours by the TV
* Obesity
* pregnancy
Causes of Back Pain in the Upper Back and Neck
Some people refer to this as upper back shoulder pain and neck pain. This pain is felt in the area between the back of your chest and the base of your skull.
Causes of back pain in your upper back, unrelated to the shoulders and neck, are usually muscular irritation and joint dysfunction.
Shoulder and neck pain are more common than pain in the center of your upper back. Your neck supports your head. Made of seven, stacked vertebrae bones that are cushioned by cartilage discs bound together with ligaments, your neck is very mobile. Muscles provide movement and support to your neck.
Your neck is more susceptible to injury than the rest of your upper back. Trauma, poor posture, and degenerative diseases such as arthritis, are the most common causes of back pain in the neck area. Whiplash is another cause of back pain in the neck.
If you were a vehicle passenger involved in a rear end collision, you may have suffered whiplash injury to your neck. The impact of the collision would force your head back and then forward at a great speed. This would stretch your neck and upper back too much and too quickly, resulting in a strain or tear to supporting ligaments, muscles and discs. It could even irritate your upper back nerves.
Your shoulder is a ball and socket joint that offers a large range of movement. Like your neck, this mobile joint tends to be more susceptible to injury. Your shoulder joints depend on shoulder muscles to keep them stable. Causes of back pain in the shoulder area usually involve these muscles.
Incorrect posture can cause both neck and shoulder pain.
* Standing with your shoulders slouching, chin jutting forward, can put extra strain on your ligaments and muscles.
* Sitting with your head down for long periods of time as you work at a desk or read can exert similar strain.
* Slumping in your seat is another cause of shoulder and neck pain.
* If you tend to sleep on your stomach, your sleeping posture could be the cause of back pain.
Other Causes of Back Pain
As shown above, causes of back pain are most often linked to strain of back muscles, ligaments, or tendons. There are many conditions other than strain, however, that can cause back pain. Below is a partial list:
* Arthritis – causing joint inflammation
* herniated disc – irritating nearby nerves
* Spinal stenosis – spinal canal narrowing that compresses nerves
* Spondylolisthesis – slipped vertebrae resulting in pinched nerves
* Vertebral fractures – resulting from trauma or osteoporosis
* Degenerative disc disease – aging process that breaks down discs
Whatever the causes of back pain, the most effective prevention is to overcome incorrect posture and incorrect lifting techniques.
Anna Hart
http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/my-aching-back-108372.html
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Physical Therapy for the Lower Back: How to Prevent and Treat Lower Back Pain
Lower back pain is one of the most common causes of job-related disability and why some people miss work. It is also the second most common neurological ailment in the United States, second only to headache. In fact, approximately 80% of adults in Western countries have, at some point, experienced lower back pain.
For some fortunate people, pain in the lower back may be resolved by itself or with the aid of medication within two to four weeks. However, there are some cases of lower back pain that may last for more than a few weeks, during which case the condition is termed as “chronic” and “progressive,” meaning it can only grow worse over time.
Moreover, 60-80% of those patients who suffer their first episode of lower back pain may experience recurring pain within one year.
According to current research, there are certain muscles in the back that work to stabilize the spine. When the spine or the back suffers an injury, these muscles are reflexively inhibited or shutdown. Worse still, these muscles do not spontaneously recover, and this is true even if patients do not feel pain and are able to return to normal activity levels.
As a result of the inhibition of these muscles, called lumbar multifidi and the transversus abdominus, lower back pain occurs. However, there are steps you can take to prevent the same thing from happening to you.
Lower Back Pain and Physical Therapy
One way to prevent the inhibition of the lumbar multifidi and transversus abdominus is through a series of physical Therapy exercises.
Designed to strengthen the muscles of the lower back and keep the spine healthy, these physical Therapy exercises may range from back stabilization exercises to muscle strength development and several wide variety of techniques.
In addition, a physical therapist may also recommend such methods as heat Therapy, ultrasound, massage, mobilization, and education about posture and body mechanics in order to prevent lower back pain from recurring.
Some of these methods will be discussed later on. You will also find some practical self-help tips provided by experts to help you avoid lower back pain or prevent the condition from worsening.
However, before we head on to learning how lower back pain is treated through physical therapy, it is important that we first understand what causes lower back pain.
Lower Back Pain: CAUSES
There are actually many types of back pain, but the most common is pain in the lower back. Why? You might ask. The reason is simple: you carry most of your weight in the lower back. Thus, it is highly likely that a person would suffer pain in that area.
There is no definitive cause of lower back pain. Sometimes, the causes of the condition are so complex that it is difficult to pinpoint just a single one.
However, physical therapists and other healthcare professionals have observed that lower back pain is often a result of strained back muscles and ligaments due to any of the following activities:
Improper posture
Heavy lifting
Sudden awkward movement
Muscle spasm
Stress
We could all be guilty of the above activities. We may not suffer any back pains now, but it is likely that as we get older and the degree of inhibition of the back muscles as a result of these activities increases, back pain becomes a very distinct possibility.
In addition to these common activities, lower back pain may also result from specific conditions, such as:
Herniated disk (when the disk material presses on a nerve)
Sciatica (when a herniated disk presses on the sciatic nerve. The condition causes sharp, shooting pain through the buttocks and the back of the leg.)
Spinal stenosis (when the space around the spinal cord and nerve roots becomes narrow. This is caused by arthritis and bone overgrowth, the pain resulting from when a nerve gets pinched in the narrow space.)
Spondylosis (a type of arthritis affecting the spine due to degenerative changes brought on by aging)
Spondylolisthesis (when one vertebra in the spinal column slips forward over another)
Lower Back Pain: TREATMENT
The treatment of lower back pain depends on several factors, including the specific type of lower back pain (whether it is chronic or acute) and the purported cause.
For instance, acute lower back pain is commonly treated with pain relieving drugs, such as analgesics, or some forms of exercises that can help relax the muscles.
On the other hand, chronic back pain or one that lasts for more than two weeks and is progressive may be caused by some underlying condition, during which case the treatment plan may consist of resolving the underlying condition to treat the back pain.
Lower Back Pain and Physical Therapy Exercise
Physical therapy exercise is one of the most common methods of treating lower back pain. In fact, many home remedies for lower back pain consist of exercise, because the general theory is that if you remain active, you remain healthy. This is true in most cases.
However, for purposes of this article, the exercises featured here will be those that are practiced by physical therapists to treat patients with lower back pain.
Generally, in physical therapy exercises, the exercise program for back pain should encompass a set of stretching exercises, strengthening exercises, and low impact aerobics. Read below for more on these exercises:
-Stretching
The back of a person is composed of the spinal column and contiguous muscles, ligaments and tendons. All these are designed to move in consonance with each other so that any limitation in the range of motion in any of these components of the back result in back pain.
Stretching for lower back pain specifically targets soft tissues, such as muscles, ligaments and tendons, found in the back and around the spine. By stretching, the spine and soft tissues are mobilized, increasing motion and thus, relieving pain.
There are many kinds of stretching exercises employed by physical therapists. One is the Hamstring Stretching Exercise which works to relax tight hamstrings, a common symptom of lower back pain. This exercise is said to help decrease the intensity of lower back pain among sufferers.
-Strengthening
Physical therapists generally use two forms of strengthening and back pain relief exercises, usually depending on the specific condition of the patient. These are the McKenzie exercises and dynamic lumbar stabilization exercises. However, the two forms of strengthening exercises may also be combined should the therapist find it appropriate to do so.
-McKenzie Exercises
Named after a physical therapist in New Zealand, McKenzie exercises are primarily extension exercises that could help reduce pain generated from the disc space and also may help reduce the symptoms of herniated disc by reducing pressure on a nerve root.
For acute pain, the McKenzie exercises should be done frequently, at least once every two hours. In addition, patients are advised to avoid flexing their spine when exercising.
-Dynamic Lumbar Stabilization Exercises
Using this back exercise technique, the first thing that a physical therapist does is to look for the patient’s “neutral” spine. This refers to the position that allows the patient to feel the most comfortable.
Afterwards, when the patient is in that position, the back muscles are then exercised in order to “teach” the spine how to stay in this position.
Performing these exercises on a regular basis can help strengthen the back muscles and keep the spine well-positioned.
Low Impact Aerobic Exercises
The purpose of low impact aerobic exercise is to recondition the back. Patients who undergo reconditioning of the back through low impact aerobic exercise will have fewer episodes of lower back pain.
In addition, whenever an episode of lower back pain does occur, the pain is less intense and lasts only for a short period.
Another benefit of low impact aerobic exercise is that patients tend to stay functional that is, they can continue with their regular work and carry on with recreational activities. In contrast, patients who do not undergo low impact aerobic exercises typically experience the gradual loss of their functional abilities.
For low impact aerobic exercises to achieve their desired results, they should be continuous. This will increase the heart rate and keep it elevated as well as increase the production of endorphins, which are pain fighting hormones released by the body.
Here are some examples of low impact aerobic exercises that you may want to try in order to lessen or reduce lower back pain:
-Walking
One of the simplest forms of aerobic exercises, walking is generally considered as very gentle on the back. To get the maximum benefit from walking as a form of low impact aerobic exercise, walk two to three miles three times per week.
-Stationary Bicycling
This form of aerobic exercise is less painful on the back since there is lower impact produced. This is beneficial for patients with lower back pain who may find walking too painful.
-Water Therapy
Sometimes referred to as aquatherapy, water therapy is simply doing exercise in the water. The buoyancy works to provide effective conditioning at the same time stress on the back is reduced.
Nishanth Reddy
http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/physical-therapy-for-the-lower-back-how-to-prevent-and-treat-lower-back-pain-69184.html
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Diagnosed With a Herniated Disc? What to Do Next…
You’ve probably heard people say they have a “slipped” or “ruptured” disc in the back. Sometimes they complain that their back “went out”. What they’re most likely describing is a herniated disc. This condition is a common source of back and leg pain.
Discs are soft cushions found between the vertebrae that make up the spinal column (your backbone). In the middle of the spinal column is the spinal canal, a hollow space that contains the spinal cord. The nerves that supply the arms, leg, and torso come from the spinal cord. The nerves from the neck supply the arms and hands, and the nerves from the low back supply the butt and legs. The discs between the vertebrae allow the back to move freely and act like shock absorbers.
The disc is made up of two main sections. The outer part (the annulus) is made up of tough cartilage that is comprised of series of rings. The center of the disc is a jelly-like substance called the nucleus pulposus. A disc herniates or ruptures when part of the jelly center pushes through the outer wall of the disc into the spinal canal, and puts pressure on the nerves. A disc bulge is when the jelly substance pushes the outer wall but doesn’t completely go through the wall.
What do you feel?
Low back pain will affect four out of five people during their lifetime. The most common symptom of a herniated disc is “sciatica”. Sciatica is best described as a sharp, often shooting pain that begins in the buttocks and goes down the back of one leg. This is most often caused by pressure on the sciatic nerve that exits the spinal cord. Other symptoms include:
Weakness in one leg or both legs
Numbness and tingling in one leg (pins & needles)
A burning pain centered in the low back
Loss of bladder or bowel control (seek medical attention immediately)
Back pain With gradually increasing leg pain. (If you have weakness in both legs. Seek immediate attention.)
How do you know you have a herniated disc?
Your medical history is key to a proper diagnosis. A physical examination can usually determine which nerve roots are affected (and how seriously). A simple x-ray may show evidence of disc or degenerative spine changes. An MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) is usually the best option (most expensive) to determine which disc has herniated.
Why do discs herniate?
Discs are primarily composed of water. As we become older (after the age of 30), the water content decreases, so the discs begin to shrink and lose their shape. When the disc becomes smaller the space between the vertebrae decreases and become narrower. Also, as the disc loses water content the disc itself becomes less flexible.
While aging, excess weight, improper lifting and the decrease in water in the discs all contribute to the breaking down of discs, the primary cause of a herniation or bluge is uneven compression and torsion that’s placed on the discs.
This uneven pressure is caused by imbalances in muscles that pull the spine out of its normal position and then your body is forced to function in what I call a physical dysfunction. Every human being develops these dysfunctions over time and eventually they cause enough damage to create pain.
The best treatment options
When it comes to treating a herniated disc, there are traditional treatments such as ice/heat, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, cortisone injections, anti-inflammatory medications and even surgery. While these may deliver some relief, it will usually be temporary if at all.
But the major problem With these traditional treatments is that they can’t fix or heal a herniated disc as they do not address the actual cause of the problem. For example, even if you were to have a surgery and get some pain relief, the fact is the dysfunctions that caused the disc to herniated in the first place are still there and if not addressed, they will continue to place uneven pressure and strain on the discs and sooner or later you will likely have another problem with that disc, or others.
Without identifying and addressing the underlying cause of the problem, which is the physical dysfunctions caused by imbalances in muscles, you will likely continue to suffer with this condition and the continuous flare ups for years.
Unfortunately, most doctors, chiropractors and physical therapists don’t spend time or focus on identifying the physical dysfunctions that are responsible for the condition so most people end up jumping from one useless traditional treatment to the Next and suffer for months or years unnecessarily.
If you have been diagnosed with a herniated disc, or are wondering if your back pain may be caused by a herniated disc, either way you must identify and address the physical dysfunctions that are causing your pain as part of your recovery.
Dr. Robert Duvall, Dpt, Atc
http://www.articlesbase.com/diseases-and-conditions-articles/diagnosed-with-a-herniated-disc-what-to-do-Next-88812.html
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Simple Steps to Lower Back Pain Relief
If, like me you suffer from lower Back Pain, relief will be the first and foremost thing on your mind.
In the early stages of lower Back pain, relief can often achieved by performing some Simple stretching exercises or having a gentle massage. Alternatively you could try using ice and heat packs, these will help reduce inflammation, and reduce muscle spasms.
If you are frequently experiencing lower back pain, relief can be achieved in several ways, the main two being through either an anti- inflammatory or through special and targeted back pain exercises.
Anti-inflammatory drugs such as Ibuprofen can be purchased easily over the counter at your local pharmacy, or your medical practitioner may prescribe something stronger.
Taking prescribed medication over long periods of time is not highly recommended, solution to lower back pain as some of these drugs may be addictive, or carry side effects.
There are some excellent natural products available which are geared towards lower back pain relief and some are extremely effective. Any natural product should be your preferred choice of pain killer or anti-inflammatory over prescription drugs, however you should be aware that any anti-inflammatory or pain killing products are not a cure for lower back pain; they are just giving you relief from pain.
In order to eliminate back pain and prevent future occurrences you should look at introducing a regular lower back strengthening program and some non impact aerobic exercises into your weekly schedule.
The best aerobic exercises for fast and effective lower back pain relief are achieved either by using a stationary bicycle, or by swimming. The gentle motions from both of these exercises will get the blood flowing through your muscles, increase flexibility in your lower back and will release endorphins into your blood stream – the body’s natural pain killer. Performing either of these exercises for around 20 – 30 minutes daily will have you feeling a lot better, not to mention the overall benefits to your health,
Many sufferers and experts alike agree that for long term lower back pain relief and prevention you should practice some specialist and targeted lower back pain exercises.
By strengthening and toning the muscles in your lower back, upper legs and abdomen you will give support to your spine, and the surrounding muscles. The benefit that these lower back pain exercises have will be immense. You will not only notice that you no longer suffer from lower back pain, but you will also be a lot more flexible and will find it easier to achieve many daily tasks, that were sometimes difficult or tiring.
A good lower back pain relief and exercise program will likely be available at your local health centre or gym. Your medical practitioner will also be able to offer some information on the correct exercises you should perform for optimal lower back pain relief.
You will also find further details of some online lower back pain exercise programs on our website the details of which can be found below.
In summary lower back pain relief can be achieved quickly and easily by following a these few simple steps. Firstly achieve relief with a good natural anti-inflammatory. Next start a simple aerobic exercise program, and finally introduce some targeted lower back pain strengthening exercises and stretches into your weekly schedule.
These simple steps will ensure that you will rid yourself of back pain in the shortest possible time, and will greatly reduce the chances of any re-occurrence.
Paul Osborne
http://www.articlesbase.com/diseases-and-conditions-articles/simple-steps-to-lower-back-pain-relief-304096.html
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Dealing With Different Types Of Back Pain During Pregnancy
For every woman, Pregnancy is a beautiful time period. Giving birth to a new life opens up a new chapter in her life. She feels complete and that makes her life even more meaningful to her. A woman feels so much elated with this new experience that she is able to overcome all the pain and changes happening to her body.
Well, these changes could be positive as well as negative. And it is duty of every person connected with the expecting mother to make her Pregnancy period most comfortable. The most common discomfort she goes through is that of pain in her back. In some women, the pain is a constant feature during the whole length of Pregnancy, while in others the pain can be impulsive. The intensity of back pain also varies in all women. For the acute sufferers, the pain is usually unbearable.
As the fetus starts to grow in the mother’s womb, the over-all weight of the woman’s body increases. As the weight increases, it gets an uneven distribution around the abdomen carrying the womb. This is a known fact that it is your back bone that supports your whole body weight. With this increasing weight, extra pressure is put on the back bone. And it becomes a little difficult for the back bone to bear it. All these developments, at last lead to back pain.
Besides this, the abdominal muscles of a pregnant woman also get stretched. This affects the muscles present around the spinal cord. As the centre of gravity of a woman changes, the muscles around the abdominal area try to keep a proper balance. In doing so, they work extra load. This leads to muscle fatigue in the back.
The back pains talked about in the above paragraphs are the ones that a woman suffers in length during her Pregnancy. But there is another type of pain, which is usually encountered when a woman nears her due date. The pain in the back is very intense at this point of time.
But, there is nothing to panic about. You can always deal with back pain during pregnancy. There is something very easy that you can start with. All you need to do is to consult a good gynecologist who will guide you through a pleasant pregnancy. More the number of doctors you consult, the more confused you will get. So the best advice remains to follow the recommendations of a single doctor, because all doctors have different theories about effectively combating back pain during pregnancy.
Most of the doctors will prescribe you the use of the belly belt that will effectively support your increasing weight. Besides this, following a good set of exercise is the best treatment to cure back pain during pregnancy. The exercises to be followed should ideally be of low intensity. These exercises work in the direction of strengthening your back muscles. Any good doctor will generally advice you to refrain from binging into medicines, as the chemicals present in them can prove to be harmful for your growing fetus.
So, follow the advice of your doctor and have a comfortable pregnancy.
Ashish Jain
http://www.articlesbase.com/advice-articles/dealing-with-different-types-of-back-pain-during-pregnancy-131880.html
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