Posts Tagged ‘Buttocks’
How To Diagnose Lower Back Pain
Lower back pain is a common affliction, with millions each year visiting physicians for relief. Not only will they seek relief, they will want a diagnosis.
It is not always easy to diagnose lower back pain. Many body structures can cause it. There are muscles, ligaments, and tendons; spinal column bones; joints, discs and nerves. In addition to these structures, there may be underlying medical conditions your physician needs to evaluate.
Whether you initially diagnose lower back pain yourself, or leave that to your physician, the diagnosis will need to consider both the location and symptoms of your pain.
Step 1 – Location
The first step is to decide the location. “Where does it hurt?”
1. Axial lower back pain: This lower back pain hurts only in the low back. Pain does not travel into any other area.
2. Radicular lower back pain: This lower back pain hurts in the low back, and also radiates down the backs of the thighs into one or both legs.
3. Lower back pain with referred pain: Diagnose lower back pain with referred pain if it hurts in the low back area, and tends to radiate into the groin, buttocks, and upper thighs. The pain will rarely radiate below the knee, but may seem to move around.
Step 2 – Symptoms
Once you diagnose lower back pain as to location, you will consider symptoms. “How does it feel?”
1. Worsens with certain activities: If you play football, for example, the pain is worse.
2. Worsens in certain positions: Perhaps it gets worse if you stand for too long. Or it is more painful after you sit in a car.
3. Feels better after rest: Resting from the activity or position usually reduces the lower back pain.
4. Deep and steady: Not a sharp muscle catch, this pain is constant and deep within the affected areas.
5. Severe: The pain is excruciating, possibly more so in the calf than the lower back.
6. Numbness and tingling: There may be “pins and needles” within the area.
7. Fleeting pain: Pain may seem to come and go, leaving you unsure at times just how it feels.
8. Achy and dull: Like the flu, this pain is sore and dull, though sometimes intensifying.
9. Migratory: It hurts in one spot, then another.
Diagnosis
AXIAL: If location is best described by number 1 above, and symptoms are a combination of 1, 2, and 3, you can probably diagnose lower back pain as being axial – the most common type. This is also called “mechanical” lower back pain. A variety of back structures can cause axial lower back pain, and it is difficult to identify which is the cause. Axial pain gets better on its own, and about 90% of patients recover within six weeks.
RADICULAR: If location is best described by number 2 above, and symptoms are a combination of 4, 5, and 6, you can probably diagnose lower back pain as being radicular – commonly called sciatica. This lower back pain is caused by compression of a lower spinal nerve, usually the sciatica nerve that runs from the spinal column, down the back of the thighs to the feet. Doctors usually recommend conservative treatment such as physical therapy exercises, medications, and possibly spinal injections, for six to eight weeks.
REFERRED: If location is best described by number 3 above, and symptoms are a combination of 7, 8, and 9, you can probably diagnose your pain as being lower back pain with referred pain – the least common type. This lower back pain is treated the same as axial back pain and frequently goes away as the problem resolves on its own.
How do you diagnose lower back pain?
Diagnose lower back pain with care. You need an accurate diagnosis, which your physician can best make, to be sure no underlying causes need attention. It is not enough to know you have sciatica. You need to know the underlying cause of the sciatica to determine treatment options.
If you do diagnose lower back pain, check the diagnosis with your physician.
Anna Hart
http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/how-to-diagnose-lower-back-pain-115645.html
Herniated Discs & Worker Absenteeism: How to Eliminate Back Pain & Increase Productivity Virtually Over Night
Have your employees called in sick to work lately because they have a “slipped” or “ruptured” disc in the back? Have they complained that their back “went out” and that they have a burning pain centered in the lower back? Or have they complained of a shooting pain that begins in the buttocks and goes down the back of one leg?
Chances are your employees have complained to you about a herniated disc especially in the lower back. Low back pain will affect 4 out 5 people during their lifetime. In fact over 20 million Americans suffer from back pain caused by the derangement of an inter-vertebral disk.
Back injuries cause 100 million lost days of work annually and costs businesses as much as $100 billion every year.
After the common cold, back pain is the second most common cause that Americans call in sick from work. It is one of the most frequent causes of hospitalization and the third most common reason to undergo a surgical procedure.
Lower back pain and herniated discs account for 15% of sick leaves. One-fifth of all workers compensation claims are due to low back pain. In comparison to other medical conditions, it causes the greatest loss of productivity.
So, how can you treat back pain and increase you productivity?
When it comes to treating herniated discs, most employees will use 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.
The major problem with these traditional treatments is that they only address the symptoms of a herniated disc. They do not address the actual cause of the problem. For example, even if your employees were to have invasive surgery and get some pain relief, the fact is the root cause that caused the disc to become herniated in the first place is still there.
There is what I call the hidden cause, it is over looked by most and it is simply this…
Our bodies adapt and change to our environment and this adaptation will over time cause what are called Muscle Imbalances. Those imbalances will cause what are called postural dysfunctions.
If the dysfunctions are not addressed, they will continue to place uneven pressure and strain on the discs and sooner or later your employees will likely have another problem with that disc, or others. This means more absenteeism, higher costs, and further deterioration in your company’s productivity,
To eliminate worker absenteeism related to back pain and herniated discs and increase productivity your employees must learn to identify and address the underlying cause of their problem.
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 employees jump from one useless traditional treatment to the next and suffer with continuous herniated disc flare-ups for months or years unnecessarily.
Here Are 3 Ways to Identify and Address the Underlying Causes of Your Employee’s Back Problems So You Can Cut Costs & Improve Productivity:
1. Understand how job function causes back pain: Sitting, Standing and doing repetitive motions all day long will cause, muscle imbalances. Over time this will cause postural dysfunctions that will cause your spine to go into abnormal curvature. This will cause a disc to herniated…
2. Take postural assessment photos: The most persuasive evidence you can show your employees that they are developing postural dysfunction and will over time put themselves at risk for back pain is to take photos. Photograph your employees from the front and from the side. When assessing the photos some things to look for are:
- Are the shoulders level?
- Are the hips level?
- Is the head inline with the shoulders?
- Is the trunk forward or backward of the knees?
- Do you see twisting in the trunk?
3. Hire a professional for the day: Have a qualified professional come to your office. This person should be a Manual Physical Therapist or Personal Trainer trained to assess your posture and design a corrective program.
Understanding back pain and taking action are two totally different animals. No one thinks that it will happen to them. And because it takes so long for our bodies to reach the point of pain, almost no one takes action to prevent back pain. So if back pain is an issue at your work place you should incorporate an incentive based program… one that encourages education and consistent action.
Dr. Robert Duvall, Dpt, Atc
http://www.articlesbase.com/human-resources-articles/herniated-discs-worker-absenteeism-how-to-eliminate-back-pain-increase-productivity-virtually-over-night-139467.html
Suffering From Lower Back Pain?
One of the top reasons that people miss school, work, and other things is due to lower back pain. This is a very common problem that can begin as a small pain and steadily increase over time or it could begin as a serious pain that needs immediate attention from a physician. There are some treatments for lower back pain, but often it can be difficult for people to completely get rid of the pain. Since this problem is causing so many people to miss out on obligations, it is a huge concern for physicians.
Sometimes lower back pain can move down the buttocks and legs, creating other problems. Often the pain is the result of nerves being pinched due to poor posture, straining of the muscles, and other problems. When there is a lot of pressure on the nerves in the lower back it is called sciatica. This is an incredibly painful problem and can last for a long time. Other causes of lower back pain come from being overweight and putting too much pressure on the lower back, sitting or standing in one position for too long without stretching or exercising, etc.
Ways To Relieve Lower Back Pain
The first thing you need to do when you experience lower back pain is to discover the source of the pain. Once you know what caused your pain, you will have a better idea of how to treat it. For example if you pain comes from sitting too long with poor posture, you may consider getting a back brace that helps you maintain better posture and take frequent breaks to stretch you back. If your lower back pain is the result of an injury, you may only be able to get pain relievers and take it easy for a while until the body naturally heals itself. Sometimes lower back pain requires surgery in the back in order to be relieved. Often when you don’t have any reason for having the lower back pain, you could have a serious problem and need to have it checked out immediately.
Serious conditions that can cause lower back pain include arthritis, scoliosis, or even cancer. The best thing is to seek treatment as soon as you detect the problem. That way you are more likely to take care of the problem before it gets worse. People that are known for treating lower back pain include physicians, osteopaths, chiropractors, and acupuncturists. If you are unsure what is causing the pain, it is recommended that you first see your primary practitioner and then go from there. For more information on lower back pain and its treatment, begin searching online. You may be able to discover a possible source for you lower back pain that you never considered before.
DOLA RAHEEM
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/suffering-from-lower-back-pain-108981.html
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
