Severe back pain, especially as adults age, is a common condition. According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, 8 out of 10 people are affected by back pain at some point in their lives. Debilitating back pain is back pain that is usually chronic and severe enough to prevent a person from going about his normal activities. While the causes of debilitating back pain are varied, a wealth of options exist for treatment including exercise and physical therapy, medication and surgery.
Exercise- and Injury-Related Causes of Pain
The most common cause of back pain is muscle strain or sprain, according to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. Exercise, lifting heavy objects and moving in an uncomfortable or unnatural way, such as during a fall, are all common culprits of muscle strain and ligament sprains. A herniated disk, in which the covering of a disk ruptures, is another cause of exercise- and injury-related debilitating back pain.
Age- and Disease-Related Causes of Pain
As people age, osteoarthritis also becomes a common culprit of debilitating back pain as bone spurs form and the disks between the vertebrae deteriorate. Osteoporosis is another common cause of severe back pain with aging, especially in women. Fibromyalgia, a poorly-understood disorder that causes debilitating pain in muscles, tendons and ligaments, may also cause severe chronic back pain. Finally, debilitating back pain is also commonly the result of referred pain -- pain that is really stemming from another organ such as the kidneys, the lungs or the uterus.
Exercise and Physical Therapy
The question of whether exercise is beneficial or detrimental for debilitating back pain has been a long-standing controversy. However, the medical consensus has shifted towards encouraging exercise in the treatment of severe back pain that is chronic. The main line of reasoning is that strengthening the muscles closest to the spine can have a protective effect, preventing future pain. For this reason, exercise that strengthens the core, such as yoga, is considered especially beneficial. Additionally, physical therapy is considered to be beneficial to many types of debilitating back pain. Individuals should speak with their doctors for personalized recommendations, based on their specific conditions.
Medication for Pain
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can help to reduce pain and inflammation associated with debilitating back pain. Those with debilitating pain that doesn't respond to NSAIDs may be prescribed pain medications such as opiod analgesics. If muscle spasms are occurring as a result of back injury, muscle relaxants are often prescribed. For some conditions in which inflammation is the culprit of the pain, corticosteroids may be periodically injected for relief of inflammation and pain. Lastly, if debilitating pain is not responsive to first-line treatments, surgery is often considered.
References
- MedlinePlus; Back Pain; Dec. 15, 2010
- The Merck Manuals Online Medical Library; Low Back Pain; April 2008
- American Association of Neurological Surgeons; Low Back Pain and Strain; September 2005
- HealthCentral; Back Pain and Sciatica; Apr. 26, 2006
- "The New York Times"; Exercising That Back Pain Away; Melena Z. Ryzik; Sept. 15, 2005
