Back Pain

Back pain is a common problem that affects most people at some point in their life.

It may be triggered by bad posture while sitting or standing, bending awkwardly, or lifting incorrectly. It’s not generally caused by a serious condition. Find Out More About: Causes of Back Pain.

In most cases back pain will improve in a few weeks or months, although some people experience long-term pain or pain that keeps coming back.

Types of Back Pain

Backache is most common in the lower back (lumbago), although it can be felt anywhere along your spine, from your neck down to your hips. Read Information on: neck pain and shoulder pain , which are covered separately.

Sometimes back pain can be caused by an injury or disease, such as:

A slipped disc – when one of the discs in the spine is damaged and presses on the nerves
Sciatica – irritation or compression of the sciatic nerve, which causes pain, numbness and tingling that travels down one leg
Whiplash – neck injury caused by a sudden impact
Frozen shoulder – inflammation around the shoulder that causes pain and stiffness
Ankylosing spondylitis – a long-term condition that causes pain and stiffness where the spine meets the pelvis

The rest of this information will focus on back pain that doesn’t have an obvious cause. Doctors call this non-specific back pain.

What To Do

Most cases of back pain get better on their own and you may not need to see a doctor.

If you’ve only had back pain for a few days or weeks, the following advice may help relieve your symptoms and speed up your recovery:

Remain as active as possible and try to continue with your daily activities
Take over-the-counter painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen if you feel you need to
Use hot or cold compression packs – you can buy these from your local pharmacy, or a bag of frozen vegetables and a hot water bottle will work just as well

Although it can be difficult to be cheerful or optimistic if you are in pain, it’s important to stay positive as this can help you recover faster Read More About: Treatments For Short-Term Back Pain.

Treatments For Long-Term Back Pain

If you’re worried about your back or your pain hasn’t improved by around six weeks, it’s a good idea to visit your GP, who can advise you about the treatments available.

These include:

Stronger painkillers
Exercise classes – where you are taught specific exercises to strengthen your muscles and improve your posture
Manual therapy – such as physiotherapy, chiropractic or osteopathy
Acupuncture
Counselling – such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
Support and advice at a specialist pain clinic

Some people choose to see a therapist for manual therapy or acupuncture without seeing their GP first. If you want to do this, you will usually need to pay for private treatment, which is likely to cost around £30-50 for each appointment.

Spinal surgery is usually only recommended when all else has failed. Read More About: Treating Long-Term Back Pain.

Preventing Back Pain

How you sit, stand, lie and lift can all affect the health of your back. Try to avoid placing too much pressure on your back and ensure it’s strong and supple.

Regular exercise, such as walking and swimming, is an excellent way of preventing back pain. Activities such as yoga or pilates can improve your flexibility and strengthen your back muscles. Read More About: Preventing Back Pain.

Signs of a Serious Problem

You should seek urgent medical help if you have back pain and:

A high temperature (fever)
Unexplained weight loss
A swelling or a deformity in your back
It’s constant and doesn’t ease after lying down
Pain in your chest
Loss of bladder or bowel control
An inability to pass urine
Numbness around your genitals, buttocks or back passage
It’s worse at night
It started after an accident, such as after a car accident

These problems could be a sign of something more serious and need to be assessed as soon as possible. Read More About: How Back Pain is Diagnosed.

Source: NHS UK

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Back-pain/Pages/Diagnosis.aspx