27 July, 2017

Quite literally a pain in the back side…


Australia has a population of approximately 23.5 million, amongst which 1.8 million currently live with a back complaint. If you need relieve from pain back, Movement 101 is the best to get advice from! Even more compelling, is that over 18 million or 84% of Australians will develop a back problem in their lifetime. Back pain is a very common and costly problem, coming in 3rd behind Diabetes and heart disease as Australia’s most costly health disorders factoring in costs of health care as well as loss of earnings.

So, why is back pain so common?

The spine is made up of vertebrae which are effectively building blocks stacked one upon the other, behind which lies the spinal cord, encased in appendages of vertebral bone for protection. Between every intervertebral space, all the way down our spinal cord, individual nerves communicating between the brain and every part of our body, feed off the spinal cord through small openings. Usually the bony structure of the spine, together with ligaments and back muscles are able to sufficiently protect the spinal cord and its nerve roots. In addition, there are spongy interveretebral discs that are wedged between any 2 vertebrae, which act as shock absorbers and help to cushion the vertebra during high impact activity. If a part of your spine is causing chronic back pain, you may need a Spine Deformity Surgery or an extensive Spinal Pain Treatment.

Clearly the back is a complicated structure so that any issue with any of these parts can cause pain and reduce range of movement and function. When pinching of any of the nerve roots occurs, this can cause excruciating shooting pain, not unlike a severe toothache which can follow the path of the nerve affected, such as down the arm or down the leg. If you are looking for a looking for good pain management clinic in Tallahassee, you can click here and get the best ones in business.

Our back is involved in virtually all activities and movements that we perform on a daily basis. From rolling over in bed, or getting out of bed, to washing ourselves in the shower, bending down to put socks on and so on. Considering how common back pain is and how debilitating it can be, it should be a priority for each and every one of us to care for our back.

As with most health concerns, prevention is better than cure and there are many lifestyle choices we can make to reduce our risk of developing back pain. These include; stopping smoking and thereby reduce coughing and limiting the risk of osteoporosis. Maintaining a healthy weight puts less downward pressure on the spine. Maintaining good posture and core strength is essential whether it be for prolonged sitting at a desk or doing manual labour or heavy lifting.

For those who are familiar with back issues, you know how painful and debilitating it can be. Luckily, most back complaints are not life threatening and over time will recover with the assistance of analgesic/ anti-inflammatory medication, physiotherapy, and adopting regular core strengthening and low impact cardiovascular exercise. It is equally important to avoid prolonged sitting and learning to lift safely bending your legs, not your back.

Less than 1% of patients who present with back pain will have a serious cause for the pain. Cases that require further investigations, surgery or urgent care are rare. So don’t assume the worst but DO see chiropractors Albert Park if you have injured your back, and have pain that is not showing signs of improvement over 2-3 weeks and/ or if your pain is accompanied by:

  • Lower limb numbness/weakness
  • Bowel or bladder control symptoms
  • Unexplained weight loss
  • A fever or feeling generally unwell
  • If you are taking cortsone medication regularly
  • Have a weakened immune system
  • Have a history of cancer or osteoporosis

Establishing a diagnosis that is at the root cause of the pain is the first step in managing the problem. Go to https://www.sharp.com/services/ortho/ now for an expert advice from orthopedic specialists.

Whilst lower back pain can quite literally be a pain in the back side, it is extremely common and can be caused by a variety of problems affecting any of the many components of the spine. Whether caring for your back preventatively or actively in response to an existing complaint, it is essential that we all incorporate back care into our day to day lives.