Second only to the common cold, back and neck pain account for the most incidences of lost work time. From aging to poor posture to injury, a number of causes can affect your back and cause you pain that ranges from aching to unbearable. If you experience back pain, it's important to pinpoint the source of the pain and engage in treatments that reduce your pain level.
Identification
While you can link back pain following an injury to that occurrence, other causes of back pain may not be so simple. For this reason, it's important to evaluate the type of pain you are experiencing. Acute pain occurs suddenly and when you perform certain activities, and could indicate the beginnings of nerve damage, according to spineuniverse.com. Chronic pain is often the result of long-term, untreated acute pain; you have chronic pain when pain gets progressively worse and extends beyond several weeks. Neuropathic pain is when you experience tingling, burning or shooting pain that is linked with nerve or spinal cord damage.
Treatments
Back pain management ranges from conservative to surgical treatment. If you are under the treatment of a physician, you will typically begin with conservative treatments, for example pain medications--these include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) and opioids, which block pain. More advanced treatments would be steroid injections into painful nerves or joints to help reduce inflammation and pain, or implantable spinal cord stimulators to monitor and regulate pain-causing nerve signals and reduce overall pain. When back pain is the result of a growing deformity, such as a slipped or fractured disc, surgery to repair these areas may be needed to prevent the disc from pressing on nerves.
Home Remedies
A number of lifestyle changes and remedies may help to reduce your back pain and strengthen the core muscles that support your back. Examples include the purchase of a new mattress or ergonomic chair, both of which can help to reduce strain on your back while you sleep or work, respectively. You can benefit from Pilates and yoga by improving muscle flexibility and strength, while placing little stress on your joints. A physical therapist may be able to evaluate your pain level and help you improve posture, flexibility and strength.
Expert Insight
Distinguishing between worrisome pain and pain that can cease with time may be difficult. The American Academy of Family Physicians recommends seeking a physician's advice if you experience pain that stems from your back and shoots down your leg; pain that induces nausea, sweating or vomiting; pain that causes a loss of control in bowel function; and pain that does not improve in two to three weeks.
Prevention/Solution
Because back pain can be caused by strain, avoid lifting heavy objects. If you must, lift with care by bending your knees and squatting to pick up the object, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. Hold the object between your chest and waist, as this is the optimal positioning to reduce strain. If you perform an occupation where you must sit for long periods of time, take frequent standing breaks to reduce the amount of time your muscles are inactive. Exercise to keep your muscles strong and to maintain a healthy weight.
