Overview, Causes, Risk & Treatment of Back pain, Mansfield TX

Back pain is a common reason for absence from work and for seeking medical treatment. It can be uncomfortable and debilitating. Back pain is the leading cause of disability, trips to the doctor, and missed work days among adults in the United States.

The human back is composed of a complex structure of muscles, ligaments, tendons, disks, and bones, which work together to support the body and enable us to move around.

Upper back pain

Pain in the upper back is usually the result of poor posture, muscle overuse, or injury. Most people describe upper back pain as a burning or pulling sensation in one place, which may be the location of injury or strain.

Neck and upper back pain can limit your movements and capabilities. If you don’t do anything about your pains, they can get worse, spread, and limit you further. This is usually because the muscles around your immediate area of pain have tensed up to protect that one spot. 

Lower Back Pain

Lower back pain is one of the most common medical problems in the world. It is a leading reason why people visit a doctor and affects upwards of 80% of adults at some point in their lives. But lower back pain is not just an adult disorder, it can affect children and elderly people too. Furthermore, it’s recognized that lower back pain symptoms return from time to time, sometimes throughout a lifetime. 

Severe pain is not always an indication something is seriously wrong. Rarely does lower back pain require urgent medical attention.

Many people find that brief intervals of ice therapy are effective during the acute phase of lower back pain to reduce inflammation.

Causes of Back pain for women

Common causes of back pain in women and the reasons why they occur.

Spinal osteoporosis fractures

Spinal fractures called vertebral compression fractures occur in most of the patients. They are almost twice as common as other fractures typically linked to osteoporosis, such as broken hips and wrists.

The pain often gets worse with motion, particularly when you are changing positions. It is often relieved by rest or lying down.

Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a disease in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows in other places in the body outside of the womb. Symptoms may include abdominal pain, heavy periods, and infertility. 

Treatment of endometriosis includes medication and surgery for both pain relief and treatment of infertility if pregnancy is desired.

Degenerative Spondylolisthesis

Degenerative spondylolisthesis is relatively rare at other levels of the spine, but may occur at two levels or even three levels simultaneously. The disc acts as a shock absorber in between the vertebrae, whereas the paired facet joints restrain motion.

Spinal osteoarthritis

This disease is caused by the deterioration of cartilage. This is the smooth, elastic tissue that protects joints and provides the lubrication necessary for normal joint function.

In the early stages of the disease, you may only have pain in the mornings due to hours of inactivity.

Sacroiliac joint dysfunction

Sacroiliitis can be difficult to diagnose, because it can be mistaken for other causes of low back pain. It's been linked to a group of diseases that cause inflammatory arthritis of the spine. 

Piriformis syndrome

Piriformis syndrome usually starts with pain, tingling, or numbness in the buttocks. Pain can be severe and extend down the length of the sciatic nerve.

The pain is due to the piriformis muscle compressing the sciatic nerve, such as while sitting on a car seat or running.

Risk factor of Back pain

Aging.

This means that people over age 30 or 40 are more at risk for back pain than younger individuals. People age 30 to 60 are more likely to have disc-related disorders, while people over age 60 are more likely to have pain related to osteoarthritis.

Genetics.

There is some evidence that certain types of spinal disorders have a genetic component.

Occupational hazards.

Jobs that require long hours of standing without a break   or sitting in a chair  that does not support the back well also puts the person at greater risk.

Sedentary lifestyle.

Lack of regular exercise increases risks for occurrence of lower back pain, and increases the likely severity of the pain.

Excess weight.

Being overweight increases stress on the lower back, as well as other joints.

Treatment of Back pain

There is having some non-surgical treatment of back pain. They are;

Stay active

One of the most important things you can do is to keep moving and continue with your normal activities as much as possible.

Back exercises and stretches

Simple back exercises and stretches can often help reduce back pain. These can be done at home as often as you need to.

Hot and cold packs

Some people find that heat helps to ease the pain when back pain first starts.

Cold on the painful area can also help in the short term. However, do not put ice directly on your skin, as it might cause a cold burn. Wrap an ice pack or bag of frozen vegetables in a cloth or towel first.

Manual therapy

Manual therapy is the name for a group of treatments where a therapist uses their hands to move, massage and apply careful force to the muscles, bones and joints in and around your spine.

Manual therapy can help reduce back pain, but it should only be used alongside other measures such as exercise.

Psychological support

Psychological therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy can help you manage your back pain better by changing how you think about your condition.

While the pain in your back is very real, how you think and feel about your condition can make it worse.

With the wide range of treatment options available, you don’t have to live with back pain. If you feel good means book a consultation to solve the back pain.