Back Pain: General Information and Symptoms

At some point in your life, it is likely you will experience some type of back pain.  It is one of the most common reasons people seek the help of a chiropractor. Back pain can be located anywhere on your back from the neck area down to the pelvic area, although low back pain is the most common ailment.  Often the pain symptoms will last for only a few days or weeks, but in some cases the pain can linger for months or years. Pain that lasts longer than six months is considered chronic.

Back pain can be mildly annoying, or keep you in bed for hours a time.  Symptoms can range in intensity from a simple ache along the spine, to a sharp, piercing sensation, and in some serious cases, back pain may cause difficulty with standing or sitting.  Some people experience back spasms, which happen when the muscles in the back begin to contract repeatedly.  If this happens near the spinal cord, it can be very painful.

Some people with back pain feel that it becomes worse with activity, and feel the need to lie down.  Other people feel that sitting or riding in a car for long periods of time makes the pain worse.  Whatever your symptoms, it is always best to get a professional diagnosis.

Back Pain Recovery Can Be Slow

They say that time heals all wounds, but your lower back pain might take longer than you thought.

The Web site Science Centric reports that according to recent research in the British Medical Journal, recovery times for such pain have been grossly underestimated. While the upside is that you’re not alone in your lingering injury, the news is especially dire if the pain is severe enough to have required compensation, which portends for even longer recovery time.

The study, cited by Research Australia and conducted by the George Institute for International Health, belied the conventional wisdom, which assumes that 90% of low back pain incidents resolve in 4-6 weeks regardless of method of treatment. The research found that approximately a third of patients took longer than a year to heal.

Said Professor Chris Maher of the George Institute, “For many people back pain becomes a long-term problem that severely impacts their life.” The study will therefore help clinicians reevaluate back pain management, including treatment and compensation recommendations.

Don’t take a chance with your health. Previous studies have shown that chiropractic can help you recover more quickly from an episode of back pain – and prevent future episodes of back pain, as well.

Childhood obesity linked to back problems

Overweight children are at greater risk of back pain and lifelong spinal problems, according to a study presented in November of 2009 at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America. Researchers demonstrated a link between higher body mass index (BMI) in children and disc abnormalities, primarily in the lower back.

“We observed a trend toward increased spine abnormality with higher BMI… These results demonstrate a strong relationship between increased BMI in the pediatric population and the incidence of lumbar disc disease,” said the study’s primary author, Dr. Judah Burns, from The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore Medical Center in New York, according to an article in Science Daily.

Body mass index alone appeared to be the determining factor in disc deterioration. Children who had experienced back trauma or related injuries that could cause back pain were removed from the study. The identification of obesity’s contribution to early spinal problems may be a key to the prevention of significant back problems in adulthood.

More than 17% of children ages 6-19 are overweight, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Furthermore, recent studies in Europe show that 39% of adolescents report low back pain at least once a month. It is critical that childhood obesity and its impacts on spinal health be addressed early to prevent future disability.

———————–

Burns J, Erdfarb AJ, Schneider J, Ginsburg D, Taragin B., and Lipton ML. Radiological Society of North America. “Overweight Children May Develop Back Pain and Spinal Abnormalities.” Science Daily

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Childhood Overweight and Obesity" 20 October 2009

Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. "Prevalence of Low Back Pain and Its Effect on Health-Related Quality of Life in Adolescents" 1 January 2009.
 

Don't Wait For Low Back Pain to Send You to the ER

Treating back pain costs Americans over $86 billion each year, a figure that includes the price of around 800,000 back surgeries performed annually. However, the effectiveness of different treatments for reducing pain is a subject of continuing debate. A recent study in Spine Journal  investigated how often low back pain sends people to the emergency room, and confirms past research that diagnostic tools often are overused in these situations. In many cases, a visit to the ER can be less effective for pain relief and far more expensive than an integrated approach, such as one that incorporates chiropractic care.

An analysis of emergency room visits in the United States conducted by researchers from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine found that low back pain injuries accounted for 2.3% of all visits to the ER, some 2.63 million visits each year. Once admitted, patients are likely to undergo extensive diagnostic testing, receiving an MRI, CT scan or radiograph, and two-thirds are prescribed opioids for pain relief. The reliance on diagnostic tools makes an ER visit a relatively expensive way to treat back pain, and the researchers conclude that significant cost savings are possible when treatment shifts to a primary care setting. This switch would also allow health care professionals to assess patients for risk factors before prescribing any medications, including opioids, and consider drug-free, noninvasive alternatives for pain relief, including chiropractic care.

Friedman BW, Chilstrom M, Bijur PE, Gallagher EJ. Diagnostic testing and treatment of low back pain in United States emergency departments: A national perspective. Spine Journal. 15 November 2010. 35:24. E1406-E1411.

Back Pain: Diagnosis

When you first go see your doctor or chiropractor for back pain, he or she will most likely begin by taking your medical history and will ask questions about any past injuries you might have had. You should describe the pain you are feeling, and include details like whether the pain is limited to a specific spot or whether it is spread over a wide area. The doctor then may try range of motion tests to see if there are any clues to which muscles may be affected. The doctor or chiropractor might feel around your back to pinpoint the exact spot that is hurting, and also to test the strength of your muscles.

Occasionally you may be asked for a urine or blood test. These tests can show whether an infection is the root cause of your back pain.

Imaging techniques like X-rays will determine whether your pain is caused by a broken bone, and they can be helpful for showing the alignment (or misalignment) of your spine. CT scans can detect herniated discs, while MRIs can see any kind of abnormality in the anatomy of the back.

A good diagnosis is necessary to help your doctor or chiropractor speed your recovery.
 

Back Pain: Basic Anatomy

Your back is made up of the spine, ligaments, tendons, nerves, blood vessels and muscles. The spine is composed of bones called vertebrae. In between each vertebrae are small discs, which help to cushion the bones of the spine. A canal running down the center of your spine houses the spinal cord, which travels from the brain all the way down to the lower back. Your brain uses your spinal cord to 'talk' to other parts of your body.

Surrounding the spine are ligaments, tendons, nerves and muscles. The spine’s flexibility combined with the surrounding muscles makes the back very strong and flexible. The muscles of the back help you to move your head, neck and shoulders. Muscles lower in the back help you to bend forward and backward. Your back is also designed to help you maintain your center of gravity, allowing you to walk without falling or stumbling.