Back pain is the most common medical problem, and its intensity can range from dull to moderate to severe. It can develop suddenly due to trauma, injury, or heavy weightlifting, or it may develop gradually due to degenerative diseases or conditions like arthritis.
Types of Back Pain
Let’s understand the anatomy of the back first
Our spine is divided into four regions
- Cervical spine – C1-C7
- Thoracis or Dorsal spine – T1 to T12
- Lumbar spine – L1-L5
- Sacrum and coccyx – S1 – S5
As per the parts of the vertebral column, back pain can be known as:
- Cervical back pain
- Thoracic back pain
- Lumbar back pain
- Sacral back pain
As per the duration of symptoms, back pain is classified as:
Acute Back Pain: Acute back pain occurs suddenly due to trauma or injury and lasts for a very short period
Subacute Back pain: It stays for more than 4 weeks
Chronic Back Pain: It develops gradually and lasts for a prolonged period, often lasting months or years. Sciatica and arthritis are common causes of chronic back pain.
Causes and Risk Factors of Back Pain
- Nutritional deficiencies
- Obesity
- Sedentary work routine
- Poor ergonomics
- Mental and physical stress
- Age – Back pain is most common around 40-50
- Family history
Conditions and Illnesses that cause Back Pain
- Sprain or strain on the back
- Degenerative disk diseases
- Herniated Disk
- Spondylitis
- Spinal stenosis
- Fractures
- Scoliosis
- Osteoporosis
- Fibromyalgia
- Kidney stones
- Endometriosis and painful menstruation or dysmenorrhea
- Tumours or cancer
- Infections
- Preganancy
Characteristics of Back Pain
- Increasing pain with movement
- Intense pain on bending, resting, and standing
- Siffness in the morning is associated with the pain
- Pain with numbness and tingling
Diagnosis of Back Pain
- Detailed medical history and check-up by a Doctor
- X-Ray
- Sonography
- CT Scan
- MRI
Treatment of Back Pain
- Oral medications
- Ointments
- Intravenous medications
- Physiotherapy
Diet and Lifestyle Tips for Back Pain
- Apply heat or cold packs as needed for pain relief, according to your comfort level. And guided as a Doctor.
- Eat a nutritious diet and a balanced diet, and avoid nutritional deficiencies.
- Do regular exercise
- Management of stress
- Use an ergonomic chair and set up for sedentary work
If backache is detected and treated early, the problem can be resolved rapidly without any further complications; hence, do not underestimate a common back pain. Always consider a doctor’s advice. We provide online consultations and proper treatment with a prescription on this platform.