Pain Management
What is Lower Back Pain?
By Tiffany Rodriguez
Pain Relief and ED Professional
Lower Back Pain: What is lower back pain?
It can affect the back anyplace below the ribs and above the legs. The lower back is the connection between the upper and lower body and it bears most of your weight. Therefore it can easily be injured when you lift, reach or twist. Most of the time lower back pain goes away by itself after a few weeks. If it doesn’t, make sure to see your doctor. It’s caused by overuse, strain or injury, like a car crash.
Also, aging plays a part. Your bones and muscles tend to lose strength, which increases your risk of injury. The spongy disc between the vertebrae (bones of the spine) tends to wear down and won’t provide enough cushion between the bones. A bulging or herniated disc can press on nerves and cause pain. Arthritis and osteoporosis are also contributors to back pain.
Depending on the cause, the pain may be dull, burning, sharp, at a single point, over a broad area, come on gradually or suddenly, occur with muscle spasms or stiffness and can also involve leg pain, caused by pressure on a nerve leading to the leg. Back pain can be classified as “acute” if it lasts less then three months, “recurrent” if the symptoms come back or “chronic” if it lasts more then three months.
Treatments for back pain:
Because back pain stems from a variety of causes, treatment goals are pain relief and restored movement. The basic treatment is rest. An ice pack and anti-inflammatory drugs will help to reduce pain and inflammation. After the inflammation subsides, applying heat can sooth muscles and tissue.
Physician prescribed physical therapy may consist of massage, ultrasound, whirlpool baths, applied heat and exercise programs. The strengthening of the abdominal and back muscles helps to stabilize the spine. Also helpful are over-the-counter drugs like Tylenol, Aspirin, Ibuprofen or, in severe cases, prescription drugs like Vicodin, Percocet or muscle relaxants.
This treatment is covered by Medicare and most Insurance Companies. The most common form of electrical stimulation used for back pain is “transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation”, or TENS therapy which provides short term pain relief.
In TENS therapy, a small, battery operated device, delivers low-voltage electrical current through the skin via electrode patches that are placed near the pain area. The electricity stimulates nerves in the affected area and sends signals to the brain that scramble normal pain perception. TENS is not painful.
Covered by Medicare and most Insurance Companies. Heat therapy works by stimulating the body’s own healing force. It dilates the blood vessels, stimulates circulation and reduces muscle spasms. You can use dry or moist heat.
Covered by Medicare and most Insurance Companies. A lower back brace may help relieve lower back pain by stabilizing the inflamed or painful area. Back braces provide compression to the affected areas. A good back brace can also help correct posture.
Links
- Arthritis & Pain Relief Supplies
