When to worry about back pain and when not?
Back pain has taken the shape of an epidemic in advanced societies and is considered one of the most concerning health problems. It can affect more than 80 percent of the population at some point in life.
To understand this better, we have to make an appropriate distinction between the two. Pain in different parts of the back has a different name which is related to the part where the pain is occurring.
We can have cervicitis, which is emanation from the cervix, it affects the cervical area (neck). Then there is dorsalgia, pain in the lower back.
These words are common in many medical reports, but they don’t really correspond to a diagnosis, just a description of a specific area of pain.
When does it need to be thought about?
Although back pain is not usually life-threatening, a health professional should be consulted when in doubt. Unless there is a red flag, we must remain calm.
Although almost the entire population will experience back pain at some point in their lives, fortunately it is not serious in most cases. In many people, it subsides a month after it starts.
Physiotherapists and doctors use red flags to look for symptoms that may indicate a serious illness in the spine or some other part of the body.
Some warning signs come in the form of sensory changes and muscle changes. Such as tingling in the limbs, loss of strength, urinary incontinence, unexplained weight loss, palpitations, pain in the breast area, or fever.
Does the way I deal with back pain affect my physical development?
Psychological factors, which are called yellow flags, cause pain to last for a long time, after which it becomes chronic.
Some examples of yellow flags are: मनिर्भवियुः अपनाना (we must keep in mind that severe pain does not equate to serious injury or disability); Avoiding physical activity out of fear of pain or that the problem will get worse (not called kinesiophobia), thinking that passive treatment is better than exercise, and coping with social, family, or financial problems.
Should I get X-ray done if I have back pain?
This is an important decision that the doctor must make, as X-rays are not completely harmless.
After the age of 50 years, it is common to develop weakness in the spine or change in the intervertebral disc, but some people suffer from it even without pain.
The International Association of Pain, which researches pain, states that in 85 percent of cases, pain is nonspecific (ie not linked to a specific problem). For this reason, X-rays are often used when there are red flags.
What are the best exercises for back pain according to science?
This question is difficult to answer without more relevant information. Physio therapists recommend it based on the needs and ailment of each patient.
On the topic of long-term low back pain, the Cochrane Collaboration, an international network of experts, indicates that a randomized controlled exercise program is more effective than other medical interventions or treatments, but that no single program does not prove to be better than others.
However, some recent research recommends the Pilates and McKenzie method of exercise (which focuses on low back extension movements) to relieve low back pain.
In our research, we have also observed that exercise therapy and proper counseling of patients increase the effect of therapy.
Therefore, several alternatives to physiotherapy are offered. Many exercises aim to improve spinal mobility and range of motion and to stretch smaller muscles (for example, the extensor muscles of the spine, hamstrings and alypos).
Some people want better muscle strength and better control, especially in the core or not so-called core muscles, as well as improving posture, ie how to walk and sit.
But any activity, even a simple one, is beneficial. Science shows that walking reduces pain and improves quality of life, as well as preventing movement avoidance behaviors in chronic low back pain.
Plus, it’s one of the easiest and cheapest ways to stay active.
The important thing is to do an activity that is to the patient’s liking: the worst exercise is the one that is never done.
Can I participate in sports after suffering from back pain?
Lifestyle, in general, is not only a great enemy of our health, but also a reason for prolonging back pain and causing more disability.
Therefore, rest should be properly justified and limited to the shortest possible time.
Involvement in sports has not been shown to cause a reappearance of back pain. Rather, it supports the view that it can maintain the benefits of physiotherapy treatment, as long as its intensity and duration are kept under control.
If we choose a team sport (football or basketball), the important thing is to take into account the contact between the participants and the sudden and intense movements.
As for the activity of running, it places repeated impacts and stresses on the lower spine and your heels, as it supports a compression that varies between 2.7 and 5.7 times body weight. is
Fast running can be a risk factor for low back pain, but slow running can improve any type of low back pain.
In short, the best way to treat back pain is to assure the patient to avoid unnecessary rest, control over-medication, and change lifestyle.
Can I participate in sports after suffering from back pain?
Lifestyle, in general, is not only a great enemy of our health, but also a reason for prolonging back pain and causing more disability.
Therefore, rest should be properly justified and limited to the shortest possible time.
Involvement in sports has not been shown to cause a reappearance of back pain. Rather, it supports the view that it can maintain the benefits of physiotherapy treatment, as long as its intensity and duration are kept under control.
If we choose a team sport (football or basketball), the important thing is to take into account the contact between the participants and the sudden and intense movements.
As for the activity of running, it places repeated impacts and stresses on the lower spine and your heels, as it supports a compression that varies between 2.7 and 5.7 times body weight. is
Fast running can be a risk factor for low back pain, but slow running can improve any type of low back pain.
In short, the best way to treat back pain is to assure the patient to avoid unnecessary rest, control over-medication, and change lifestyle.
