What is Back Pain ?

Back pain is a very common problem which affects most people at some point in their lifetime. Back pains can develop suddenly or slowly and lead to more serious conditions. Back pain develops as result of injury or trauma to the lower back or from the presence of other conditions such as arthritis. Injuries from an accident, day to day chores or lifting heavy things can cause back pain.

Risk Factors of back pain include
Age: The incidence of back pain increases with age. The onset is typically between 30 and 40 years of age.
Heredity: The presence of certain genes can make a person more prone to developing back pain.
Physical fitness: People who are not physically fit or those who start exercising suddenly after being inactive for long periods are more at risk for back pain.
Nutrition: A rich and fatty diet can lead to obesity. This can put stress on your joints and spine, leading to back problems.

Other risk factors include being in an occupation requiring manual lifting, pushing or pulling or a sedentary job which involves a lot of sitting.

Causes
The major load bearing area of your body is your lower back. When muscles are pulled or strained in the back due to heavy or improper lifting it can cause back pain.

Other conditions which can cause back pain include
Degenerative Diseases: Back pain can be caused by problems of the back such as osteoporosis, ruptured discs and arthritis.
Injuries: Fractures, improper lifting or accidents can be a very common cause of back pain.
Medical problems: Many medical conditions such as spondylolisthesis, endometriosis and fibromyalgia can also contribute to back pain.
Other conditions: Spinal stenosis, pregnancy and obesity can cause back pain by putting pressure on the spine. In rare cases back pain can be caused by the presence of infections or tumor in the spinal area.

Back pain could sometime be the symptom of more serious conditions. Immediate medical attention should be sought in case back pain is accompanied by:

• Fever and pain in the abdominal region.

• Urinary or bowel incontinence

• Radiating pain down one or both legs

Diagnosis is made by a physical examination, medical history and symptoms which are reported. The doctor may order more tests to diagnose other causes such as fractures, tumors or other infections.

Some of These Tests Include
X-ray: These are used to look for broken bones or other injuries to the spine.
MRI (Magnetic resonance imaging) scan: This shows more detail and is used to look for degeneration of the bone and problems with the tissue and nerves.

CT (Computer tomography) scan: Various cross-sectional images are recorded by these scans to detect herniated discs or other injuries to the spine.

Bone Scan: These are used to look for the presence of certain conditions of the bone such as tumors, infections and other disorders.

Most back pain can be treated by self-care at home. A combination of rest, pain relievers, and hot and cold packs on the affected area are usually very effective in back pain treatment. If home treatments are not effective, prescription medications, physical therapy or gentle exercises are usually suggested by a doctor. In more severe cases steroid injections into the spinal area and surgical procedures are needed to treat back pain.