Back pain is a common condition that affects more than 65 million Americans, according to spineuniverse.com. Neck pain also is a common ailment--and the pain can affect how you work and live. Both types of pain also can extend beyond just the area where they initiate--back and neck pain can result in numbness in the legs and hands and changes to your bowel habits, according to the Mayo Clinic. While there are different causes of pain, a number of conservative and surgical treatments are available, ensuring you do not have to suffer from debilitating pain.
Causes
Neck pain can be caused by muscle strain, such as from an overuse injury from hunching over a desk; osteoarthritis; nerve compression; injuries, such as from a car accident; or conditions such as cancer and meningitis, according to the Mayo Clinic. According to spine-health.com, common causes of back pain that occur in patients ages 20 to 60 years old include lumbar disc herniation, degenerative disc disease or isthmic spondylolisthesis. Older patients are more likely to have injuries that involve worn-out joints, such as facet joint osteoarthritis and degenerative spondylolisthesis.
Conservative Treatments
When you first seek medical advice from a physician for back and neck problems, your physician may first recommend conservative treatments to provide relief from back and neck pain. Examples of conservative treatments include medications, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which include aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen. These medications reduce inflammation that causes swelling and pain in the joints. Other pain relievers, such as acetaminophen and opiods, may help to reduce painful symptoms, according to spineuniverse.com.
Physical therapy treatments to strengthen and stretch the muscles can help to improve your painful symptoms and improve functionality. Also, an orthopedic specialist may recommend injection therapies, which can reduce inflammation at the site of the joint. Examples of the types of injections include spinal, facet joint and epidural steroid injections.
Surgical Treatment Types
When conservative treatments fail to elicit the appropriate reduction of symptoms, an orthopedic specialist may recommend surgical treatment. According to AllAboutBackandNeckPain.com, surgery is indicated when it is necessary to remove pressure from the nerve or spinal cord or to keep the joint functioning in a way that results in movement. Examples of surgical procedures include discectomy, spinal fusion or total disc replacement, which improve diseased spinal discs by either replacing or repairing damaged discs. Other back surgeries include laminectomy, corpectomy, vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty. Your pain severity, location of pain and symptoms all can determine the best type of surgery for you.
Prevention
Back and neck pain often are the result of poor posture, wear and tear on the joints, and strain, according to the Mayo Clinic. Therefore, it's important to engage in activities to prevent the onset of neck and back pain. Lifestyle changes such as adjusting your office environment to be more ergonomically friendly, such as adjusting your chair to where your knees are lower than your hips and placing your computer where you view your monitor at eye level may help. You also should stretch often if you are required to be in the same position for an extended period of time. Sleeping on your back or side instead of your stomach also may help reduce neck strain, as sleeping on your stomach can place undue stress on your neck.
Considerations
Signs you should seek treatment for your neck and back pain include when your pain begins to interfere with your daily life and if your pain has moved from your neck or back to another region, such as your legs or arms. You should prepare for your appointment by being able to answer questions concerning the level and location of your pain, when you noticed the pain initiating and any medications and supplements you may be currently utilizing, according to the Mayo Clinic. Your physician may conduct a physical exam as well as take a medical history where you describe the aforementioned symptoms. You should be sure to ask your physician any unanswered questions as well as relay your goals for treatment, such as improved range of motion.
