Back pain is classified as acute or chronic. Acute back pain usually lasts for three months whereas chronic back pain can last for a lifetime. Low back pain or LBP is the most common back pain. A majority of individuals have limited or hampered activities because of low back pain as it can be persistent. Low back pain is usually felt below the waist and it can occur suddenly with a sharp and dull pain, People younger than 45 years old can have low back pain. Frequent visits to the physician are often instigated by low back pain, and in some cases, surgery is required.
Hospital admissions are sometimes necessary for low back pain as it may cause disability. Low back pain can be categorized as acute or chronic. Acute LBP may be short-lived (lasting only 3 months) compared to chronic LBP that can last throughout life. As the name suggests, low back pain is localized in a certain area of the low back. It can sometimes radiate throughout that area or could extend to the buttocks and the legs. At times, low back pain can be accompanied by general aching and neurological symptoms like numbness, weakness and tingling. If bowel or bladder irregularities, groin or leg weakness or numbness and critical symptoms that persist for several days and interfere with your usual activities occur, then it may require medical attention.
Strenuous physical activities, heavy lifting, abrupt or weighty movement, bending or twisting, improper positioning of the body and being stationary for an extended period of time can trigger low back pain or may aggravate any back disorder that a person may already have. Other medical conditions of the spine and arthritis can also cause low back pain. LBP does not only indicate a problem in the spine. Through medical assessments, muscle spasm, bone displacement and tender joints can also be the underlying cause. Low back pain may even be organ or nerve-related. Low back pain treatment without surgery can be resorted to by most patients.
Conventionally, a thorough bed rest combined with medications can be a remedy for inflamed or painful muscles. Prescribed medications are usually commensurate to a patient's condition, age, current medications and safety. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID's) are the foremost choice of analgesic. For muscle spasms, muscle relaxants are recommended although they may cause drowsiness. In acute cases and in chronic cases, if necessary, narcotic pain relievers can alleviate the discomfort. Other methods of low back pain treatments are physical therapy (PT), ultrasound therapy, massage therapy, acupuncture and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator (TENS) trial. A well-managed PT program can be remarkably helpful as it has tremendous positive effects on the muscles, in mobility, coordination, balance and relaxation.
A structured PT regimen has been proven to be effective as patients with low back pain who resorted to it showed rapid progress and recovery. Unless expedient, these non-surgical remedies for LBP will suffice as undergoing surgery can be costly. Spinal surgeries are only considered if worsening nerve impairment, increasing weakness, intolerable pain and spinal unsteadiness, and if bowel or bladder irregularities are experienced.
Non Surgical Back Pain
Unless your back pain is due to an infection, malformation of the back, or tumor, some type of physical treatment can probably help it. Let’s look at a few of the more popular and effective types of treatment.
Chiropractic Therapy
Chiropractic treatment has been shown to be most effective when applied within 2 months of the onset of back pain. Chiropractors realign the spine, increase the range of motion in back muscles, increase the flexibility of spinal soft tissue, break down scar tissue, and reduce pressure from constricted and misaligned spinal joints, all of which help to relieve pain. Usually treatment takes around 15 minutes 3 times a week at first. Over a few weeks sessions decrease until you are on a maintenance program of once a month or even "come come only if it hurts."
Acupuncture
Studies by the National Institutes of Health show that acupuncture is very effective in treating back pain. According to the theory of acupuncture, energy (known as chi) flows through the body along pathways called meridians. If the flow of chi is interrupted, pain or illness can result.
An acupuncturist uses very thin needles inserted into the skin along the meridians to correct the flow of chi. You may be surprised to learn that acupuncture is rarely described as painful. In fact, many people find it relaxing and even fall asleep during treatment.
Physical Therapy
A good physical therapist will combine passive and active treatments, since exercise is essential to the long term imporvement in back pain.
Active therapy involves the patient’s participation. The therapist will determine which exercises are best for a particular condition, and supervise you in those exercises to ensure that you are doing them correctly. They will include:
* stretching
* strength building exercises
* aerobic exercise.
Passive therapy is done on you, usually while you are relaxing, and includes:
* heat or cold therapy
* electrical stimulation
* ultrasound
* massage
* iontophoresis (inserting a drug through intact skin using an electric current).
Other Alternatives to Surgery
In addition to these 3 modalities, many other non-surgical treatments exist for back pain, among them massage, and the use of herbs and natural supplements.
Both Dr. Rose Windale & Ron King are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Ron King has sinced written about articles on various topics from Acne Treatment, A Secured Loan and Aging. Visit to learn more. Ron King is a full-time researcher, writer, and web developer. Copyright 2005 Ron King. This article may be reprinted. Ron King's top article generates over 368000 views. to your Favourites.
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