Since attaining my medical degree, I have found that my work has a tendency to follow me home and permeate through almost every social interaction I have. I find myself hailed down on the street by an old patient to take a final look at a healing wound or listen to a new cough. Other times it is being asked to inspect a rash or comment on a new fad diet while trying to make my way to the buffet table at parties. The list, I assure, is quite extensive and includes exhibitions of very interesting conditions and body parts. However, the one ailment about which my medical opinion is sought after the most in and outside of the hospital is back pain. Several things put us at risk for having back pain including having a sedentary, stressful or physically strenuous job, smoking, being anxious or depressed, obese, being female or older in age. Not surprisingly, given this list, back pain is one of the main reasons for doctor visits and will be experienced at least once in the lifetime of every individual. Knowing this, I now arm myself with educational pamphlets on various ailments that I give to folks as I pry myself away long enough to grab something to eat or catch a few winks of sleep. Here is one on back pain for my faithful Obaasema readers.
What you need to know about back pain.
Common symptoms
- Muscle ache, cramps or tension in back
- Pain that moves or shoots down the legs
- Difficulty bending or limited range of motion
- Difficulty standing straight
Causes of simple back pain
- Sleeping on an uncomfortable surface for an extended period of timing
- Strain to the back (e.g. from lifting heavy items, wearing uncomfortable shoes, moving suddenly in an awkward orientation, exercising without prior conditioning, poor posture, excess body weight)
- Structural process (e.g. scoliosis or abnormal curvature in spine, arthritis, degenerative lumbar spine discs due to aging, osteoporosis, sciatica)
The above conditions can usually be treated at home with rest, over-the-counter painkillers such as Tylenol, Motrin, Aleve or Advil and application of heat or ice as needed to affected areas. Also, simple stretching routines or physical therapy can improve, over the long term, back pain related to strain and structural processes. Changing your mattress and investing in good comfortable shoes can sometimes do the trick if these are the route cause of your back problems. The pain from simple back pain can last for weeks but usually starts to improve within three to five days after supportive care is started. If it does not get better or worsens, see your doctor immediately. Your doctor will be able to determine if you require treatment with stronger pain medications, referral to a professional physical therapist or undergo surgery for an underlying defect.
Symptoms suggestive of serious underlying process
- Severe, constant pain especially at night or while lying down
- Back pain that occurs after a fall, accident or other injury
- Back pain with numbness, weakness, tingling or pins and needles sensation in back, buttocks and/or legs
- Accompanied by other symptoms such as fever, shooting pain all the way into lower legs, difficulty passing urine or stool, blood in urine or stool, unintentional weight loss
See your doctor immediately if you have any of the symptoms above especially if you have a history of cancer, osteoporosis or are receiving steroid injections. This could be early signals of infection, cancer or serious spinal nerve compression that will require further evaluation and treatment.
For more information including video footage on suitable back exercises, appropriate lifting techniques, and in-depth details on back pain visit:
a) http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/back-pain/DS00171/TAB=multimedia
b) http://www.medicinenet.com/low_back_pain/article.htm
c) http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/backpain/detail_backpain.htm