Everywhere in the world, back pain is reported as a common ailment that affects millions of people every year. The severity of this condition causes people to miss work, visit their physicians, and stands as the leading reason people receive disability worldwide. It is possible to only experience back pain only once, but for many people, it is a recurring and often chronic problem with their health. Ocean Spine is proud to serve the Los Angeles, South Bay, and Long Beach area with specialized spinal care.
What Is Lower Back Pain?
Lower back pain is much more of a symptom than a condition in and of itself. As a result, there are numerous sources that can cause a patient to develop recurring back pain. When back pain lasts for less than six weeks and appears suddenly, it is known as acute back pain. In cases where it persists for periods longer than three months, it is identified as chronic back pain, a condition less common than the more short-lived variety. The actual cause of back pain may be difficult to determine, even with testing. The most common conditions that are associated with lower back pain include:
• Strain of the Ligaments or Muscles – Improper body mechanics can often result in muscles or ligaments becoming overextended and strained. Continuous strain on these tissues can cause back pain in the form of painful muscle spasms.
• Vertebral Discs Bulging or Rupturing – Serving as cushions between your vertebrae, these discs are essential to protecting your nerves and spine. When they become compromised, they are less able to perform this crucial role. They are often discovered as the result of testing for other reasons.
• Arthritis – Spinal arthritis can result in spinal stenosis. This is when the space containing the spinal cord becomes narrow and impacts the function of the nerves.
• Osteoporosis – If the vertebrae become brittle and porous due to osteoporosis, compression fractures can result, causing pain in your lower back.
• Skeletal Irregularities – Scoliosis is just one of the conditions that can result in your spines natural curve, becoming impacted. Pain from conditions like these typically doesn’t manifest until middle age.
These are the most common causes of lower back pain. While being the most common, there are countless other reasons that you may experience this condition. Not all of them will be identifiable by Dr. Pranay Patel, but treatment is still possible.
How Is Lower Back Pain Treated?
Acute back pain will generally improve over a period of a few weeks, though this may vary based on cause and individual health realities. Contrary to past wisdom, bed-rest is generally advised against as it has been shown to impact the time needed to recover from acute back pain. Heat and over-the-counter pain relievers are often viable choices for treatment.
Throughout your healing process, be sure to maintain regular activities, though excluding anything heavy or intense from your day. If you find an activity painful, avoid it. This does not mean to avoid activities you think will be painful, simply to stop if they actually become painful. Stronger medications or treatments may be suggested if the pain doesn’t ease after several weeks.
If you have any further questions about back pain and what Ocean Spine can do to treat it, give our offices a call today. We’ll be happy to schedule an appointment at any of our locations and start you on the road to safely and effectively treating your back pain.