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Back Pain: A Common Problem |
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Each year, Americans spend an average of $50 billion on
treatment or research for prevention of lower back pain. The condition
has been cited as one of the most common causes of job-related
disability, leading the person to miss work. Back pain is, in fact, the
second most common neurological ailment in the United States, second
only to headache.
The good news is that most lower back pain
lasts only for a few days. However, there are instances where the
condition could last longer.
Acute Lower Back
Pain
Sometimes referred to as short-term lower back pain, acute
lower back pain extends any time from a few days to a few weeks. The
condition is considered as mechanical in nature as it is often the
result of trauma to the lower back.
Short-term back pain may also
be caused by disorders that affect the spine, such as arthritis, sports
injury, working around the house or in the garden, or a sudden jolt that
adds stress to the spinal bones and tissues. One example of the latter
is when you receive trauma to your lower back due to a car accident.
The
condition has symptoms that range from muscle aches to shooting or
stabbing pain. Short-term lower back pain may also limit your
flexibility and/or range of motion. Sometimes, it may even lead to
inability to stand straight.
If left untreated, some acute lower
back pain may lead to more serious conditions.
Chronic Lower Back
Pain
Lower back pain is classified by duration. Therefore, if the
pain lasts only for a few days to a few weeks, it is short-term or acute
lower back pain. However, if the pain persists for more than three
months, then the condition is already chronic.
Chronic lower back
pain is progressive. This means that the symptoms can only get worse
over time. There are a number of possible causes but they are difficult
to determine with each case. That is why people who suffer back pain
that lasts for far longer than what is considered “normal” are advised
to consult the doctor as soon as possible.
Self-Treatment
Since
pain to the lower back is fairly common, there are quite a few home
remedies used to treat it. Most of the time the treatment involves using
analgesics or taking drugs that reduce inflammation, restore proper
function and strength, and prevent recurrence of the injury.
Cold and
hot compresses are also frequently used to treat lower back pain
although the same has not been scientifically proven to treat back pain. After
72 hours of self-care and there is still no improvement, patients are
advised to consult the doctor.
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