Low back pain is one of the most common afflictions in our society. Almost every person will have at least one episode of low back pain at some time in his or her life. The pain can vary from severe and long term to mild and short lived. It will resolve within a few weeks for most people.
Before reading this article any further, let me tell the readers that I am not an Ortho doctor or a specialist of any kind. I have also suffered from back pain and this article of mine is confined to my limited knowledge on spine and its problems, gathered by me from various Ortho doctors and a few informative books and articles.
The Spine and its structure
The spine is the most important part of the human skeletal system as it supports the human body.The low back(lumbar spine) is made up of five bones(vertebrae). The lumbar discs are between these bones in the front of the spine. They function as shock absorbers and allow for motion of the lumbar spine. The vertebrae are held together by ligaments, and muscles are attached to the vertebrae by bands of tissue called tendons. Pain in the back might occur as a result of a minor problem of any of the above.
Why pain in Low back occurs
Low back can occur because of various reasons.Low back pain can happen after an injury, especially if there is a fracture of the spine(resulting out of a sudden fall, or tumbling because of a sudden slip).Other factors might be too much of physical labour like weight lifting, back bending etc. Some other factors associated with low back pain are smoking and long term exposure to vibration(like traveling for long very frequently). Obesity may also be related. it is also to be understood that like all our body parts, the spine is also subject to wear and tear and back pain is almost inevitable after the age of 50 nowadays.
But the good news is that back pain is curable in most cases.Other than severe fracture as a result of an accident or something most type of back problems have a remedy.
When should I visit a doctor
Many people who develop mild low back discomfort may not need to see a doctor right away. Often, within a few days, the symptoms go away without any treatment.
A visit to your physician is advisable when:
Your symptoms are severe.
The pain is keeping you from doing things that you do every day.
The problem does not go away within a few days.
Talk to the doc
The most important goal is for you to return to your normal activities as soon as it is safe. So it is very important that you sit with your doctor and get informed about the condition of your back. Whether you need to take complete bed rest for a specific period of time, whether you need a brace or a belt to support your back, whether Physiotherapy is advised etc. we should understand that we pay our doctor and hence not hesitate to ask for any kind of clarifications or Queries.
Treatment options
As I had mentioned already, conservative treatment like rest and avoiding physical exertion might get you out of the trouble in most cases. The doctor might prescribe some pain relievers like Ibuproffen or aspirin to get you oblivious of pain.
If conservative measures fail, then supporting the back with braces or belt might be advised. Other measures include Infrared treatment where tolerable amount of heat is passed to the pain inflicted area and might prove beneficial in some cases.
Physiotherapy might also advised in certain cases.Usually the person becomes alright with these treatment options.
Alternative medicines
Besides allopathic treatment which is given more attention, there are lots of alternative treatment methods like Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, Accupuncture, homeopathy etc. These treatment options are not to be ruled out as ineffective and time consuming. we have to understand that these methods are equally affective in many patients who are ready to accept the fact that back pains do take quite a good amount of time to subside.In fact Ayurvedic treatment was the one which helped me the most in getting rid of back pain.These for sure are time consuming but cure is for sure and is long lasting with no side effects.It usually alleviates pain quite effectively.
Surgery would be the last thing that your Ortho would recommend to you if all conservative measures fail and when the symptoms are so intense that conservative treatment can be relied upon for normalcy. Surgery would be needed only in cases of severe spinal deformities or disorders and is successful in 80% of the cases. This is just for the sake of information in this article and not to scare people.
Can I prevent back pain
The happiest thing to learn is that it is easily preventable and the saddest fact is that not many people take good care of their spine to prevent back pain.we have to understand the fact that our lifestyle has changed dramatically in the past few decades. We dont do a great deal of physical exercise nor and most of us are confined to our seats in front of desktops(the white collar working class!) By doing some basic strengthening exercises for the back and by following an active physical life, we can prevent back pain. Jogging, climbing up the stairs, swimming etc are good exercises recommended for people with normal spinal health to avoid back pain in the future.
Conclusion:
In this fast and furious world, we have to ensure that we take good care of our health and lead a healthy and happy life.* When wealth is lost nothing is lost, but when health is lost something is definitely lost*.Though back pain can be very disturbing, please be sure that it is very much curable in most cases. The key is the hope and confidence in the mind of the patient. This coupled with proper treatment can easily get you out of the problem .