Low Back Pain – Not One Size Suit Fits All

On a recent Facebook group ‘conversation’ I happened to come across a post from a woman asking for medical and treatment advice for her husband’s back problems.

After more than 30 years in the health industry and having treated and helped thousands of people from around the world to live lives that are free from pain, I was intimately familiar with the subject, but there were still some great takeaways about the pain management questions and the many different advices given by well-meant readers that people in general can learn a lot from.

The quote above comes from the dictionary (of clothing) designed to fit people of a wide range of sizes; – which stuck in my mind long after the post conversation had ended.

Low back pain is one of the most common problems people have. Back pain can induce a great impact in the quality of life, and the costs of medical care and loss of productivity can be also high.

What Causes It?
Low back pain can be caused by a variety of problems and is usually caused by an injury like: – strain from lifting, twisting, or bending with any parts of the complex, interconnected network of spinal muscles, nerves, bones, discs or tendons in the lumbar spine. Typical sources of low back pain include:

• The large nerve roots in low back that go the legs may be irritated.
• The smaller nerves that supply the low back may be irritated.
• The large paired lower back muscles may be strained.
• The bones, ligaments or joints may be damaged
• An intervertebral disc may be degenerating.

Symptoms
Symptoms of low back pain may include:

• Tenderness, pain, and stiffness in the lower back
• Pain that spreads into the buttocks or legs
• Having a hard time standing up or standing in one position for a long time
• Discomfort while sitting
• Weakness and tired legs while walking

Most back pain can be prevented by keeping your back muscles strong and flexible, making sure your practise good mechanics and having your body checked and maintained to prevent it from injuries like muscle sprains, tears and inflammation.

Treatment
In many cases back pain will get better with self-care.

While lower back pain is extremely common, the symptoms and severity of lower back pain vary greatly. It is therefore mandatory to perform an individualization of the treatment of back pain. If your pain doesn’t get better within a reasonable period of time you might want to see your doctor or other registered health practitioners; – like:

• Orthopaedic specialist
• Chiropractic
• Osteopathy
• Nutritionist
• Homeopathy
• Acupuncture
• TCM
• Complementary and Alternative Therapies

Identifying the symptoms and getting a diagnosis that pinpoints the underlying cause of the pain is the first in obtaining effective pain relief.

Not One Size Suit Fits All