Are you one of the nearly 90% of American adults who suffer from back pain? Back pain is the second leading symptom for physician visits. Statistics clearly show the strain we place on our backs just by living day-to-day.
A number of theories exist. The leading cause of back pain has to do with disc degeneration -- or wearing down of one or more intervertebral disks. These disks act as the spine's "shock absorbers". They provide strength and flexibility.
As people age, their intervertebral disks may degenerate and lose their normal operating properties. Disks may collapse, causing the spinal canal to narrow, and localized superficial nerves to become irritated – resulting in back pain. This scenario is known as degenerative disk disease. For more information and resources go to: http://www.spine-health.com/video/degenerative-disc-disease-interactive-video
Pain affects people in different ways. Back pain usually originates from muscles, nerves, bones, joints or other structures in the spine. Back pain may appear suddenly or as a chronic pain. It can be constant or intermittent. It may stay in one place or radiate to other areas. It may be a dull ache, or a sharp or piercing or burning sensation. It may include weakness, numbness or tingling.
A complex network of nerves, joints, muscles, tendons and ligaments interconnect in the spine. All can cause pain. Back pain, varies by location and is often experienced as:
One source of back pain may be the back's skeletal muscle – including pulled or strained muscles, muscle spasms, and muscle imbalances. Synovial or facet joints are another potential source. These are the sources for about one in three people with chronic low back pain, and in most people with neck pain following whiplash.
Among the several common sources and causes of back pain are:
Because symptoms coming from different spinal tissues can feel alike, it is sometimes hard to diagnose properly without using diagnostic intervention procedures, such as local anesthetic blocks. However, disk herniation (sciatica) may be diagnosed without invasive diagnostic tests.
Treatment options are based on the stage of the condition – is it acute or chronic? Not all treatments work for all conditions or all individuals Some people may try several treatment options to determine what works best for them. Others may need only non-surgical therapies to manage pain. For 1-10% of patients, surgery may be the quickest way to feel better.
When treating back pain, Lance J. Lehmann, MD goals are to:
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