Today, the complaint of back pain in any form has become a common problem
Back Pain This problem, which occurs in the bones of the spine, has now become a common
problem commonly found in humans of every age group; The main reason for this is sitting
incorrectly; Using a high pillow, leaning forward for maximum time Driving on rough
roads for maximum time. In the deformed condition, the number 3 or 4 vertebrae appear to
have slipped in the {cervical region} near the neck, due to which pain starts in the
neck, sometimes swelling along with pain is also seen.
The main symptom of back pain is an ache or pain anywhere in the back, and sometimes all the way down to the buttocks and legs.
Some back issues can cause pain in other parts of the body, depending on the nerves affected.
The pain often goes away without treatment, but if it occurs with any of the following people should see their doctor:
weight loss
fever
inflammation or swelling on the back
persistent back pain
pain down the legs
pain that reaches below the knees
a recent injury, blow or trauma to the back
urinary incontinence
difficulty urinating
fecal incontinence
numbness around the genitals
numbness around the buttocks
As we grow older, the bones, discs and ligaments in the spine can naturally weaken as they age. This happens to all of us to some degree as part of the ageing process, but it doesn’t have to be a problem and not everyone will have pain from this.
As we grow older the discs in the spine become thinner and the spaces between the vertebrae become narrower. Little pieces of bone, known as osteophytes, may form at the edges of the vertebrae and facet joints.
The medical term for this is spondylosis and is very similar to the changes caused by osteoarthritis in other joints.
Keeping the spine supple and the muscles around the spine and pelvis strong, will reduce the impact of spondylosis.
Back pain is sometimes linked with pain in the legs, and there may be numbness or a tingling feeling. This is called sciatica.
This is due to a nerve in the spine being pressed on or squeezed. For most people with sciatica, the leg pain can be the worst part and occasionally they may have little or no back pain at all.
In most cases sciatica is caused by a bulging disc pressing on the nerve. Discs are designed to bulge so we can move our spines about easily, but sometimes a bulge can ‘catch’ a nerve root and cause pain that travels all the way down the leg and foot
Most people recover fairly quickly, although in some cases it might take a number of months.
Starting gentle exercise as soon as you can will greatly help with sciatica. It is also a very good idea to see a physiotherapist.
Sometimes back pain is linked with pain in the legs which starts after you start walking for a few minutes, and then tends to get better very quickly when you sit down. This is known as spinal stenosis.
Problems are caused when something presses on the small space in the middle of the spine, where the nerves are. This space, which is called the spinal canal or nerve root canal, can be squeezed by bone or ligament.
Symptoms often affect both legs, but one may be worse than the other. The pain usually gets better when you sit down and rest, and some people find they have less pain if they walk a little stooped. Like sciatica, the main problem tends to be leg pain more than the back pain.
In most cases, neither sciatica nor spinal stenosis are serious problems. However, if the symptoms cause you a lot of trouble and greatly affect your quality of life then you should see your doctor for further advice and to discuss what else can be done.
Other rarer causes of back pain include:
