Back Pain - Get Back Into The Swing

Low back pain is one of the most common causes of discomfort in people of all ages. More than 80% of Americans will experience at least one episode of back pain in their lives. Consider yourself among the fortunate few if you have never experienced an episode of back pain. In some instances, these episodes can develop into chronic, debilitating conditions. Low back pain is second only to the common cold as a reason to miss work. It is estimated that productivity lost to low back pain exceeds $28 billion dollars annually in this country alone. In this article, we will examine the many causes of low back pain and what treatment options exist to prevent back pain from keeping you on the sidelines.



There are many causes of low back pain and some of these can occur simultaneously. An examination of what causes back pain has to begin with a look at the spine itself. The spine runs from our skulls to our pelvis and is charged with a complex array of critical tasks. It serves as a protective conduit for a sophisticated neural network constantly relaying information back and forth from our body to our brain. It has to be able to twist, bend, rotate and bear the weight of our bodies both at rest and in motion without compromising its ability to effectively transmit vital nerve signals. For the most part, the spine does a pretty good job of doing what is asked but it can, and does, break down. Where do these breakdowns occur? The spine is composed of a series of stacked cylindrical bones called vertebral bodies. In between each vertebral body are joints where the bones meet and a specialized cartilage structure called the intervertebral disc. The disc is the shock absorber for the back allowing for mobility and weight bearing. Ligaments and muscles help to tie it all together and underneath it all lay the nerves which supply our bodies. A break down can occur anywhere along the system and can occur in more than one place. The most common places to see areas of breakdown in the low back are the discs and the small joints of the back. Some of the terms used to describe disc problems include disc herniation, disc degeneration or disc bulge. Disc herniations are very common and not all of them cause pain. When they do, often times they are contacting a nerve behind the disc, creating the dreaded pinched nerve scenario sometimes referred to as sciatica. But the disc is not the only source of pain in the low back. Pain can also come from the bones themselves, the connecting ligaments or the surrounding back muscles. In rare instances, low back pain can be coming from a tumor or infection. Because these structures are all connected, it is not uncommon to have more than one source of pain.



Determining the source of low back pain begins with a history and physical examination by your doctor. He or she may order X-rays or an MRI to get a better look at the structures of the back. This information will help to clarify the source of back pain in order to develop a targeted treatment plan. Once a diagnosis is made, there are wide ranging treatment options for low back pain. I like to breakdown the treatment of low back pain in to three broad categories. These include lifestyle changes, medications and possible medical procedures when appropriate. The category of lifestyle changes is a broad but critically important area for the management of low back pain. These changes include efforts to lead a healthier lifestyle. Dieting, weight loss and smoking cessation are all vital to reducing back pain and should be part of any treatment plan.



Incorporating physical therapies, regular exercise, massage therapy or even acupuncture can go a long way to getting your back better. There are countless medications available for the treatment of low back pain most of which do a decent job in providing moderate short term pain relief. Injections are used to complement additional therapies and can aid in the healing process. Surgical procedures as well can be utilized for back pain that fails to respond to more conservative therapies.



It is important to remember that most back pain does improve with time. Incorporating a healthy lifestyle in conjunction with targeted medical therapies can help to get you back in to the swing of things.