Back pain is a common occurrence. Many face it at some point in their lives. It can cause much discomfort. One can get relief through medication, exercise, acupuncture, massage etc.
Back pain being a common health condition that afflicts men and women both, one would like to know more about it.
Top 20 Facts and figures for back pain
1. As one grows older one experiences back pain.
2. Lack of fitness. People who are not very fit suffer from back pain.
3. Inherited diseases such as disc diseases which can cause back pain.
4. Being overweight can also cause back pain.
5. Other kind of diseases can also cause back pain such as cancer and arthritis.
6. Work related back pain. Some kinds of work may require you to end or twist the back which can cause pain.
7. Smoking can also delay the cure of back pain. Many smokers cough which causes back pain.
8. Racial factors can also be a cause of back pain. Black women often suffer from displacement of lower spine as compared to white women.
9. According to estimates 4 out of 5 adults will experience back pain in their lives.
10. Back pain is very common health problem. In 2000 almost half of the UK adult population (49%) complained about back pain which lasted for about 24 hours sometime during that year.
11. Simple measures can be taken up to prevent back pain.
12. First Aid help prevents the aggravation of the back pain.
13. One must remain active even if one has back pain.
14. In most cases back pain is not very serious. It disappears.
15. Back pain can start among school children and peak among adults between the ages of 35 to 55 years.
16. In the industrialized countries about 80 % of the people will experience back pain at some point in their lives.
17. Heavy physical work, lifting heavy objects and sitting straight for long hours can cause back pain.
18. Psychosocial factors such stress, anxiety, depression, mental stress and lack of job satisfaction can also cause back pain.
19. Obesity can also cause back pain.
20. Nearly 90% of the people with back pain will recover within 6 weeks.
Back pain is something a person has to cope up with when over stressed with work. Exercise, medication, relaxing the back muscle helps and other forms of treatment such as acupuncture and massage helps in providing relief.
Health Care N Diet
Oct 14, 2009
Oct 4, 2009
Some causes and fixes for neck, low-back pain
I am frequently asked to assist patients who suffer from chronic neck and low-back pain. Regardless of whether you have had successful treatment in the past or are currently managing your symptoms with medications, understanding the problem is the first step in managing your chronic pain.
In my experience, the second step is to integrate an active-care model of rehabilitation and self-care for sustainable, long-term management of your chronic pain.
For the most part, chronic neck and low-back problems arise from three factors: injuries and trauma; a combination of excess body weight and advanced arthritis; and a lack of postural awareness and poor body mechanics.
There is commonly a component of all these factors throughout a person’s lifetime that contribute to the pain.
The first factor is simple to understand. Trauma to the body, such as a car accident or a sports injury, is a large force over a short period of time that causes the tissues of the body to become damaged.
According to studies published by the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine and the Journal of Manipulative & Physiological Therapeutics, in the event of an injury, the most important step one can take is to get evaluated right away and receive the best physical rehabilitation as soon as possible, even if you perceive the trauma to be relatively minimal.
Doing so will minimize the effect of the injury and prevent instability that can significantly increase the probability of chronic problems in the future.
The second factor is excess body weight and advanced arthritis.
Excess body weight simply adds more load to your skeletal system, accelerating the normal rate of degeneration and arthritis associated with aging.
If you are overweight, you are not alone and it is very important that you start looking for weight-loss solutions.
An effective place to start concerns your diet. Minimize all junk food, including anything with high-fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils (trans fats). Next, follow up with a doctor who specializes in weight loss and/or enlist the help of a nutritionist or a registered dietitian.
The third factor that can significantly increase the probability of chronic neck and low-back pain is lack of postural awareness and poor body mechanics, or body movement. The most common examples that lead to neck and back problems are sitting in prolonged slumped postures and bending at the lower back with daily activities and occupational tasks.
When combined with excess body weight, this small factor compounded over time can become a moderate force, contributing to chronic pain.
The active-care rehabilitation model, developed from sports rehab, encourages the client to learn and apply daily self-care techniques and restorative strength and flexibility exercises.
I’m biased, but I suggest working with a doctor of chiropractic or a physical therapist who specializes in sports rehab.
In my experience, active care is the key component to a beneficial treatment program and the most cost-effective solution to the management of chronic neck and low-back pain.
With consistent dedication and professional guidance, a person who suffers chronic pain can effectively manage his or her symptoms through active care. The key is to take action now.
— Sevak Khodabakhshian is a doctor of chiropractic with Thousand Oaks-based Omega Rehab & Sport, where a team of physical therapists, chiropractors and athletic trainers applies an active-care approach to healthcare. He can be reached for comments, questions or suggestions by e-mail, at Sevakk@omega-rehab.com.
Ventura County Star
In my experience, the second step is to integrate an active-care model of rehabilitation and self-care for sustainable, long-term management of your chronic pain.
For the most part, chronic neck and low-back problems arise from three factors: injuries and trauma; a combination of excess body weight and advanced arthritis; and a lack of postural awareness and poor body mechanics.
There is commonly a component of all these factors throughout a person’s lifetime that contribute to the pain.
The first factor is simple to understand. Trauma to the body, such as a car accident or a sports injury, is a large force over a short period of time that causes the tissues of the body to become damaged.
According to studies published by the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine and the Journal of Manipulative & Physiological Therapeutics, in the event of an injury, the most important step one can take is to get evaluated right away and receive the best physical rehabilitation as soon as possible, even if you perceive the trauma to be relatively minimal.
Doing so will minimize the effect of the injury and prevent instability that can significantly increase the probability of chronic problems in the future.
The second factor is excess body weight and advanced arthritis.
Excess body weight simply adds more load to your skeletal system, accelerating the normal rate of degeneration and arthritis associated with aging.
If you are overweight, you are not alone and it is very important that you start looking for weight-loss solutions.
An effective place to start concerns your diet. Minimize all junk food, including anything with high-fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils (trans fats). Next, follow up with a doctor who specializes in weight loss and/or enlist the help of a nutritionist or a registered dietitian.
The third factor that can significantly increase the probability of chronic neck and low-back pain is lack of postural awareness and poor body mechanics, or body movement. The most common examples that lead to neck and back problems are sitting in prolonged slumped postures and bending at the lower back with daily activities and occupational tasks.
When combined with excess body weight, this small factor compounded over time can become a moderate force, contributing to chronic pain.
The active-care rehabilitation model, developed from sports rehab, encourages the client to learn and apply daily self-care techniques and restorative strength and flexibility exercises.
I’m biased, but I suggest working with a doctor of chiropractic or a physical therapist who specializes in sports rehab.
In my experience, active care is the key component to a beneficial treatment program and the most cost-effective solution to the management of chronic neck and low-back pain.
With consistent dedication and professional guidance, a person who suffers chronic pain can effectively manage his or her symptoms through active care. The key is to take action now.
— Sevak Khodabakhshian is a doctor of chiropractic with Thousand Oaks-based Omega Rehab & Sport, where a team of physical therapists, chiropractors and athletic trainers applies an active-care approach to healthcare. He can be reached for comments, questions or suggestions by e-mail, at Sevakk@omega-rehab.com.
Ventura County Star
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