Low Back Pain - A Quick Guide

Low back pain is a common disorder affecting millions of individuals annually. It is a common musculoskeletal disorder that affects the lumbar segment of the spine, which is the lowest part of the back just above your buttocks. It is one of the most common causes of missing work, and can affect anyone of any age, race, or sex. It is one of the top 10 reasons patients seek care from a doctor.

Low back pain is typically classified as either acute or chronic. Low back pain is often accompanied by stiffness and difficulty with normal movement, muscle spasms, and pain that becomes worse with any type of straining. If it is particularly bad it may cause pain down the back of your leg, which is called sciatica.

Chronic Back Pain

Chronic low-back pain is a very common problem for which there is currently no universally effective treatment. Chronic back pain is generally defined as pain that persists for more than three months. Chronic pain is much less common than acute pain. It usually has an insidious onset, occurring over a long period of time. It can also occur in people whose work involves heavy lifting, bending, and long periods of standing on a daily basis. It also may originate from an injury, disease or stresses on different structures of the body such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, degeneration of the discs between the vertebrae, or a spinal disc herniation, a vertebral fracture (caused by osteoporosis), or rarely, a tumor (including cancer) or infection. Chronic low back pain can be shooting, stabbing or localised in nature. It can also be referred from another part of the body.

Acute Back Pain

Acute pain is the most common type of back pain. Acute back pain is short term, generally lasting from a few days to a few weeks. Acute pain comes on quickly and often leaves just as quickly. The commonest reasons for acute lower back pain are damaged muscles, ligaments and tendons in the lower back. Acute back pain can also be caused by kidney stones, pelvic inflammation and even some bowel conditions like constipation, inflammatory bowel disease or diverticulitis may have some back pain associated with it. These are much less common.

Back Pain Symptoms

Symptoms of low back pain depend upon the cause of the pain. Damage to muscles and ligaments causes pain, back muscle spasm, pain on walking, difficulty twisting, stiffness and sometimes pain worse on one side rather than the other. Pain caused by nerve irritation often also causes sciatica. Sciatica is pain down the leg or legs caused by irritation to the sciatic nerve in your back. It is often caused by disc problems, arthritis and severe muscle damage and spasm.

Treatment

Treatment for back pain generally depends on what kind of pain you experience: acute or chronic. Treatment options range from basic rest but only for 24 hours, ice or heat and gradually resuming activity to medication, exercise, physical therapy and acupuncture. Using trans-cutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS ) with both acute and chronic pain can speed recovery and reduce pain. Acupuncture like TENS is excellent for treating muscle spasms and the trigger points often found in back muscles.

Treatments for chronic back pain can vary greatly depending on the type and source of the pain. many sufferers find TENS a great help in reducing symptoms. If the problems persist an operation is often required to relieve the pressure on the disc and reduce nerve irritation.

Exercises

Having used TENS to reduce pain exercises that increase balance and strength can decrease your risk of further back pain. Exercises such as tai chi, yoga or any weight-bearing exercise that challenges your balance are good ones to try. String back and abdominal muscles can lessen pain. Exercises to reduce low back pain are not complicated and can be done at home without any special equipment.

Andy Duncan is a doctor and freelance medical writer. For more information on pain and TENS machines please visit www.pain-rehab.co.uk

Yoga Video Clip

Never Let Go of Your Dreams or Goals: Compliments are Kryptonite, Doubters are Fuel

Have you ever had someone doubt your abilities? Even subtly?

A friend, family member, a work mate and yes, maybe even someone you look up to.

The winter after my senior season I had one of these experiences I'll never forget. A conversation with my college linebacker coach, Steve Telander is a good example.

Ever since I was a young chap, I always wanted to play professional football.

In a discussion with T (as I called him) regarding playing at the next level he felt it his duty, to sit me down and have a talk. I wasn't getting the calls I expected from pro teams to play professionally. He felt it was his duty to break the news to me in a soft way by telling me a story. story telling was one of 'T's' favorite ways of teaching.

Essentially, he was easing me down from perch of playing at the next level. And maybe to hang up my cleats and move on with my life.

You know, soften the blow a bit. Little did he know; he did the opposite.

Here's the story he shared with me.

There were three micro-organisms clinging to a rock in the middle of the Amazon river.

One day one micro organism said to the others. "Where we currently live is great but I want to explore new lands and live somewhere else. I hear just down the way is a wonderful place to live filled with lush vegetation and beautiful life forms."

When the other two heard this, they were appalled. No one ever left their rock - ever.

In anger one responded by saying, "Why would you ever leave this place? We have it so well. A beautiful view of the Amazon seeing for thousands of millimeters in all directions, a good source of food everywhere. plus, let's say you let go of the rock, I heard there are several plankton and other horrible creatures that will eat you up. If you get past them, their is a terrible waterfall that you are surely not to survive if you go over."

The adventurous micro said, "Well those are the chances I'll just have to take."

Night fell and a few days went by. Nothing more was said regarding the subject. Then one morning the two micros looked around and didn't see the third. He had let go of the rock.

Cut to the adventurous micro floating down the river. Yes, he had let go and let the current take him down the river.

What he discovered as the current quickly moved him down the river was a plush new greenery. The color was vibrant and new. He passed by beautiful coral colored fish.

There were nothing up the food chain that devoured him, no water fall. He was so happy he had let go of the rock and instantly began enjoying his new life.

"Vince," Coach T said, "Maybe it's time to let go of the rock?"

"Rock, rock, rock..." I can still hear those words in my head today and they send chills down my spine.

This shook my foundation because here I looked up to T and respected him greatly. This was the last person I thought I'd hear it from.

At that very moment, I discovered something about myself I never knew.

This talk energized me. I don't know how you are with people doubting you but when I hear someone doubt my goals, it stirs something inside.

It's fuel for my fire. Compliments are the opposite they're like Kryptonite for me.

I smiled at T and thank him for all his help over the last year.

That summer I got a call (out of the blue) to play professionally over in germany.

Unlike the advice given to me I HELD on to my vision of playing after college and ironically similar to that micro-organism, I discovered new lands both internally and externally. plus, I met exotic and interesting people and ate delicious new foods. And made a great living doing so.

It was a defining part of my development.

let people doubt you. It's okay. Make it your fuel for your fire. Les Brown says, "I make no my vitamin."

When you have this kind of attitude you become a man or woman on a mission.

This is easy to do when you hold a vision in your head so clear you could vividly pull it up on your radar screen- literally and figuratively.

If you think and imagine a new life this builds your foundation for success.

Silence the critics and go after your dream - even if they are people you trust and respect.

Then one day you can write an email about them and you'll enjoy typing every word in your message.

Conceive, believe Achieve,

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