Back Pain

Back Pain Overview: A Guide for Understanding Back Pain

Ben Parr — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:23:52 -0800

The back and spine are designed to provide a great deal of strength, protecting the highly sensitive spinal cord and nerve roots, yet flexible, providing for mobility in all directions.

Back Muscles and Low Back Pain

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:50:15 -0800

View All

Common Causes of Back Pain and Neck Pain

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:16:20 -0800

Fortunately, most episodes of back pain will heal with time: approximately 50% of patients will feel relief from low back pain within two weeks, and approximately 90% within three months, regardless of the treatment.

Discography for Patients without Back Pain Can Quicken Disc Degeneration

cmaynard — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:54:24 -0800

Bottom Ad

Left Ad

Right Ad

top_ad

Back Pain Medication Overview: Understanding Medication for Back Pain Relief

Ben Parr — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:24:16 -0800

There are multiple over-the-counter (non-prescription) and prescription medications that can provide back pain relief. Patients considering taking any type of medication for back pain should first meet with their physician to determine their individual risk factors and appropriate treatment options.

Back Pain Treatment: Non-Surgical Options for Pain Relief

Ben Parr — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:24:12 -0800

Prior to starting any type of treatment, it is always advisable to first see an appropriately trained spine specialist to develop an appropriate treatment program for your specific condition and medical history.

The main goals for managing back pain in the lumbar spine (lower back) usually include:

Back Pain Diagnosis: Diagnostic Tests for Indicators of Back Pain

Ben Parr — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:24:08 -0800

Diagnostic tests can indicate if a patient's back pain is due to an anatomic cause. However, because diagnostic tests in and of themselves are not a diagnosis, arriving at an accurate clinical diagnosis requires any test to be to be correlated with the patient's back pain symptoms and physical exam.

The most common diagnostic tests include:

Back Pain and Doctors: When To Call a Doctor

Ben Parr — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:24:04 -0800

The bottom line that everyone should remember is that if one is in doubt, consult a doctor. If back pain is getting worse over time, does not feel better with rest and over the counter pain remedies, and/or involves neurological symptoms then it is advisable to be evaluated by a back pain doctor.

Back Pain Risk Factors: What Can Increase The Potential for Back Problems?

Ben Parr — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:24:00 -0800

There are many risk factors for back pain, including aging, genetics, occupational hazards, lifestyle, weight, posture, pregnancy and smoking. With that said, back pain is so prevalent that it can strike even if you have no risk factors at all.

Specific Risk Factors for Back Pain

Patients with one or more of the following factors may be at risk for back pain:

Back Pain Symptoms: Overview of Lower Back Pain Symptoms and Diagnosis

Ben Parr — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:23:56 -0800

The cause of back pain can usually be diagnosed with a detailed description of one’s symptoms. The description of back pain symptoms, along with one's medical history (and possibly diagnostic testing), will usually lead to a diagnosis of a general cause (such as back strain), or a specific condition (such as a herniated disc).

Back Pain Symptoms from a Sprain or Strain

Back sprain or strain symptoms generally include:

Back Pain Causes: Overview of Conditions That Can Create Back Pain

Ben Parr — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:23:54 -0800

By far the most common cause of lower back pain is a muscle strain or other soft tissue damage. While this condition is not serious, it can be severely painful. Typically, lower back pain from a muscle strain will get better within one to three weeks.

Spondylosis: What It Actually Means

Greg — Wed, 07 May 2008 10:00:42 -0700

Spondylosis refers to a situation where there is degeneration of the spine. It could describe degeneration in the neck (cervical spondylosis) or degeneration in the lower back (lumbar spondylosis). Patients are often confused by the term because, like many other spine terms, doctors tend to use the term spondylosis differently. For example:

Non-Surgical Back Pain Treatment Options

spine-health — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 13:44:27 -0800

In-depth patient information on full range of non-surgical back pain treatments.

Announcing National Spinal Health Day

spine-health — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:35:52 -0800

October 16th has been designated National Spinal Health Day by the International Bone and Joint Decade – a global, multi-disciplinary initiative targeting the care of people with musculoskeletal conditions such as back pain. Its focus is on improving your quality of life as well as advancing the understanding and treatment of those conditions through research, prevention and education. National Spinal Health Day is designed to bring attention and education about exercise as a means to reduce the prevalence of severe back pain.

Getting Smart About Disc Problems

spine-health — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:35:52 -0800

Do you or someone you know have a suspected "slipped disc", "pinched nerve", "degenerating disc", or other disc problem? Have any of your healthcare providers used one or several of these terms? Like many people, you may be unclear which disc condition you actually have and what the appropriate next steps are for dealing with it. This newsletter outlines things you can do to clear up the confusion about the most common painful disc conditions.

Identifying the Best Care for Back Pain - Patients' Advice

spine-health — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:34:06 -0800

Patients share tips on finding the right health professional

In this section, patients share their experience of which type of health care professional was the most helpful for their back pain and why.

Asprin and stretching prevent lower back problems

Asprin, and lots of it stops the pain before it starts. (Forget anti-inflammatories.) It is the pain that causes the cramping ... that causes the pain ... that causes the cramping ... etc.
read more

Who Should Treat Your Back Pain?

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 23:57:44 -0800

Everyday we get e-mails from people asking us what type of doctor they should see for their back pain. Our answer is almost always "it depends". Many different specialists treat back pain, and each has different training, skills and interests. For many people, it may take more than one type of specialist to diagnose, treat and rehabilitate their back condition.

Spinal Cord and Spinal Nerve Roots

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:50:15 -0800

The spinal cord comes off the base of the brain, runs throughout the cervical and thoracic spine, and ends at the lower part of the thoracic spine. Therefore, spinal cord injury or damage may accompany trauma or diseases of the cervical spine or thoracic spine.

Vertebrae in the Cervical, Thoracic and Lumbar Spine

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:50:15 -0800

Spinal Anatomy and Back Pain

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:50:15 -0800

Spinal anatomy is a remarkable combination of strong bones, flexible ligaments and tendons, large muscles and highly sensitive nerves. It is designed to be incredibly strong, protecting the highly sensitive nerve roots, yet highly flexible, providing for mobility on many different planes. Most of us take this juxtaposition of strength, structure and flexibility for granted in our everyday lives—until something goes wrong.

Spinal Discs

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:50:15 -0800

The vertebral disc in the spine is an interesting and unique structure. Its primary purpose is to act as a shock absorber between adjacent vertebrae. Spinal discs also act as ligaments that hold the vertebrae of the spine together and as cartilaginous joints that allow for slight mobility in the spine.

Sacral Region

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:50:15 -0800

Types of Spinal Tumors

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:16:23 -0800

There are three common types of spinal tumors that can cause back pain: vertebral column tumors, intradural-extramedullary tumors, and intramedullary tumors.

1. Vertebral Column Tumors

Primary tumors: These tumors occur in the vertebral column, and grow either from the bone or disc elements of the spine. They typically occur in younger adults. Osteogenic sarcoma (osteosarcoma) is the most common malignant bone tumor. Most primary spinal tumors are quite rare and usually grow slowly.

Myths about Treatment for Back Pain and Back Problems

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:16:23 -0800

Myth #1: There is a standard "cure" for most causes of back and neck pain.

Fact: Compared to other medical conditions, there are relatively few standardized approaches to diagnosis and treatment of back problems.

Common Causes of Back Pain in Pregnancy

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:16:23 -0800

Both back pain and posterior pelvic pain may be caused by several factors related to changes that naturally occur in your body while pregnant, including changes in weight and center of gravity, muscular imbalances and fatigue, and hormonal surges.

Changes that Cause Back Pain during Pregnancy

Common changes due to pregnancy include:

Could My Back Pain Be Cancer?

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:16:23 -0800

If you have severe back pain, it is natural to wonder whether or not the pain might be a sign of cancer. Tumors in the spinal column may cause back pain from expansion of the bone or from weakening the bone, which in turn can result in spinal fractures, compression (pinching) of the nerves, or spinal instability.

Types of Back Pain in Pregnancy

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:16:23 -0800

Back pain is very common in pregnancy. It is estimated that between 50% and 80% of women experience some form of back pain during their pregnancy, ranging from mild pain associated with specific activities to acute back pain that can become chronic back pain.

Treatments for Spinal Tumors

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:16:23 -0800

If any tumor is found in the spine (and there is no other known cancer), a complete examination of all common organs where cancer develops is usually warranted. Evaluation may include:

Complete medical history
Complete physical examination
Complete neurological examination
Radiographic studies of the spine, chest and GI system to screen for tumors
MRI and CAT scans to examine the spine

Treatments for each common type of spinal tumor is explained in more detail below.

Myths about Causes of Back Pain and Back Problems

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:16:23 -0800

Myth: The spine is delicate and easily injured.

Fact: The spine and its surrounding muscles, tendons and ligaments comprise a well-designed structure that’s incredibly strong, flexible and supportive. To help maintain the back and spine, proper conditioning is needed - including strengthening, flexibility and aerobic conditioning.

What Causes Back Pain During Pregnancy?

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:16:23 -0800

Back pain during pregancy is common. Approximately half of all pregnancies are complicated by back pain.¹

About 10% of the time, the pain becomes so severe that it can interfere with the ability to work or carry out normal activities during pregnancy.

This article explains the common risk factors, causes and treatments of back pain during pregnancy.

When Back Pain May Be a Medical Emergency

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:16:23 -0800

Most types of back pain can be successfully managed over a patient’s lifetime through a combination of non-surgical treatments, such as exercise and pain medications, and possibly surgery.

The Myths and Reality of Back Pain and Back Problems

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:16:23 -0800

The experience of back pain can be very complex—many back problems are difficult to diagnose and typically involve a wide variety of treatment options with various risks and benefits. And, it doesn’t help that many myths and misconceptions about back pain and back problems persist.

Management of Back Pain in Pregnancy

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:16:23 -0800

Conservative (non-surgical) treatment of back pain in pregnancy generally includes performance of appropriate exercise and use of proper body mechanics. These efforts promote and support proper posture, which is essential to avoiding unnecessary stress to supporting structures.

General Symptoms of a Spinal Tumor

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:16:23 -0800

The following general symptoms may be associated with a spinal tumor:

Should I See a Doctor for Back Pain?

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:16:23 -0800

Pain is our friendliest enemy -- it keeps us out of trouble even though it often seems to actually be the problem.

The body ‘locates’ pain near the surface quite well but has trouble indicating the source when the pain is deep. Pain from deep injuries, diseases or infections of organs, such as the heart, stomach, lungs and back may seem to come from somewhere else nearby or may radiate into multiple places. Intense pain may be more localizing but not always.

Understanding Your Spine