There are many ways in which back pain is caused, and many different ways in which it can be felt, but one thing is common to all back pain sufferers.
Without exception, they are in extreme discomfort.
While they may respond to it in different ways (some won't admit to it, and at the other end of the spectrum some are incapacitated by it) that pain is real.
Almost everyone experiences this at some point.
It can be the result of a car accident or of a medical condition, repetitive motion or poor posture, incorrect lifting or repeated shock.
We all tend to feel back pain acutely because of where it occurs on our bodies.
The spinal system is among the most important in our anatomy.
It gives us shape, bears most of our weight, and is responsible conducting messages to the rest of our body.
It runs from the neck right down to our buttocks, which also makes it one of the longest systems in the body.
That length and its use means that our backs (the common name we give to this system) are prone to a lot of different injuries, in a lot of different places.
Back pain also may manifest itself as neck pain, mid region pain, or (most commonly) lower back pain, also known as lumbar region pain.
That pain can take many forms, but it almost always leaves the individual unable to perform at the levels experienced before the pain started, at the very least.
Unfortunately, most back pains are the result of several different incidents, and not by one easily identifiable root cause.
For this reason, people can become quite frustrated with physicians who seem unable to isolate the problem and come up with a long term solution.
That frustration can grow as time goes on, which in turn may also cause the back pain an individual experiences to become more pronounced.
Both stress and psyche have been proven to contribute to pain in the back region! One question many people ask is, "at what point do I consult my doctor about my back pain?" Of course, the answers to this question are as numerous as doctors themselves, but we can provide a general idea of how to approach back pain with your physician.
Those with intensive labor jobs will want to see a physician right away.
They can verify to your employer that you are experiencing real pain in your back, so that your workload can be decreased.
This is always the first step on the road to recovery with back pain; take a load off, literally.
You don't need to confine yourself to bed rest, just take it easy for a while.
Outside of work concerns, it is best to wait to see your doctor (if for no other reason than that a doctor's visit can be quite expensive, and at the time might be for no good reason).
Again, rest a bit and see if the pain abates.
If you find your back pain is continuing, you may want to seek out other treatments.
Start out with over the counter anti-inflammatory pills such as Tylenol and Advil.
You should also use hot and cold treatments, including compresses and soaking, to contain any muscle spasms.
Continue to do back strengthening exercises, which will not only help diminish the pain but prevent future back pain as well.
If your pain continues unabated for more than a week, you are suffering from what is known as chronic back pain.
This is the point where you might want to see a doctor.
He or she can recommend courses of treatment you may not have thought of, but make sure that you list all the details of what you have done to try to diminish the pain yourself.
That way, the doctor can take the diagnosis to the next level.
That next level may involve tests, scans, and possibly even surgery.
Again, the problem with back pain is that it can be caused by any number of different factors, as a one time shot or as a cumulative effect.
If you have other symptoms (such as signs of infection, other unusual symptoms, or trouble with bowels or bladder) consult a doctor immediately.
Combined with other symptoms, this can often indicate a serious problem in need of immediate attention.
Without exception, they are in extreme discomfort.
While they may respond to it in different ways (some won't admit to it, and at the other end of the spectrum some are incapacitated by it) that pain is real.
Almost everyone experiences this at some point.
It can be the result of a car accident or of a medical condition, repetitive motion or poor posture, incorrect lifting or repeated shock.
We all tend to feel back pain acutely because of where it occurs on our bodies.
The spinal system is among the most important in our anatomy.
It gives us shape, bears most of our weight, and is responsible conducting messages to the rest of our body.
It runs from the neck right down to our buttocks, which also makes it one of the longest systems in the body.
That length and its use means that our backs (the common name we give to this system) are prone to a lot of different injuries, in a lot of different places.
Back pain also may manifest itself as neck pain, mid region pain, or (most commonly) lower back pain, also known as lumbar region pain.
That pain can take many forms, but it almost always leaves the individual unable to perform at the levels experienced before the pain started, at the very least.
Unfortunately, most back pains are the result of several different incidents, and not by one easily identifiable root cause.
For this reason, people can become quite frustrated with physicians who seem unable to isolate the problem and come up with a long term solution.
That frustration can grow as time goes on, which in turn may also cause the back pain an individual experiences to become more pronounced.
Both stress and psyche have been proven to contribute to pain in the back region! One question many people ask is, "at what point do I consult my doctor about my back pain?" Of course, the answers to this question are as numerous as doctors themselves, but we can provide a general idea of how to approach back pain with your physician.
Those with intensive labor jobs will want to see a physician right away.
They can verify to your employer that you are experiencing real pain in your back, so that your workload can be decreased.
This is always the first step on the road to recovery with back pain; take a load off, literally.
You don't need to confine yourself to bed rest, just take it easy for a while.
Outside of work concerns, it is best to wait to see your doctor (if for no other reason than that a doctor's visit can be quite expensive, and at the time might be for no good reason).
Again, rest a bit and see if the pain abates.
If you find your back pain is continuing, you may want to seek out other treatments.
Start out with over the counter anti-inflammatory pills such as Tylenol and Advil.
You should also use hot and cold treatments, including compresses and soaking, to contain any muscle spasms.
Continue to do back strengthening exercises, which will not only help diminish the pain but prevent future back pain as well.
If your pain continues unabated for more than a week, you are suffering from what is known as chronic back pain.
This is the point where you might want to see a doctor.
He or she can recommend courses of treatment you may not have thought of, but make sure that you list all the details of what you have done to try to diminish the pain yourself.
That way, the doctor can take the diagnosis to the next level.
That next level may involve tests, scans, and possibly even surgery.
Again, the problem with back pain is that it can be caused by any number of different factors, as a one time shot or as a cumulative effect.
If you have other symptoms (such as signs of infection, other unusual symptoms, or trouble with bowels or bladder) consult a doctor immediately.
Combined with other symptoms, this can often indicate a serious problem in need of immediate attention.