Is Left Back Pain Getting You Down?

by admin on January 5, 2010

 

Pain is often difficult to tolerate, but left back pain can be more of a problem, because it could be caused by several things. As with other pain, it is important to find the cause of the pain then the symptoms can be dealt with, without fear of complicating matters by doing the wrong thing – I’m thinking ice versus heat. Of course to get a true diagnosis you need to see your medical doctor for a checkup on the cause of your left back pain, and depending on the suspected diagnosis, it may mean x-rays or physiotherapy to diagnose and then treat the left back pain.

Left back pain can occur for a variety of reasons, and one of the most common culprits is overuse. It could be because of continually lifting heavy objects, or through exercise straining the muscles of the left back. Poor posture or too much weight can also place more stress on the left back.

ease left back pain - safety first

ease left back pain - safety first

Often left back pain is the result of normal wear and tear on the body. Arthritis is the cause of a great deal of pain especially in the elderly, as the various joints start to wear out due to constant use over the years. The cartilage between the vertebrae in the back can become quite thin and this causes pain because there is not the same amount of cushion as previously, so the vertebrae can rub on one another.

Now, if you have lower back pain that seems to radiate into and down your leg, then you may be suffering from sciatica, or rather sciatic pain. This is caused by inflammation of the sciatic nerve which is the longest nerve in the body. It stretches from the middle of the lower back, down the back of both legs, and into the feet. If the sciatic nerve is pinched it causes inflammation and pain which can be felt the along the length of the whole nerve. It usually only affects one leg, so if your left leg and left lower back is painful it could be because of sciatic pain, but of course you need to get it diagnosed by your family doctor.

What can you do to relieve left back pain? That does depend on the problem of course. If sciatic nerve pain is the problem, then in the first 48 hours regular icing of the lower back will help to reduce the inflammation around the sciatic nerve. However, if it is a case of pulled muscles, heat may help, as well as gentle stretching exercises, although some recommend ice, or alternating heat and ice treatments.

Rest is important too, as this will give the back time to heal itself without having more stress put on it by constant activity.

When muscles are the problem, physiotherapy can be a great help by teaching you the correct exercises to do to relive the pain, and also to strengthen the back. Before you do any exercise, however, check with your medical doctor first to make sure that this will not cause you further damage or pain and not only with regard to your left back pain but your overall health as well.

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What Causes Right Back Pain And How Do I Stop It?

by admin on January 5, 2010

 

Any pain, whether it is right back pain, or lower back pain needs to be checked out if the pain continues. Obviously, you don’t want to be running to the doctor for every little ache and pain, but if the pain is bothering you, and especially if you don’t know what has caused it, you should see your family doctor.

Let’s take a quick look at how the back is made up. The spine is a series of bones that are separated from each other by discs which absorb some of the shock when you move around. The muscles and ligaments hold everything together. When one or more of these structures becomes stressed for some reason, back pain is the result.

If you have been moving heavy boxes around or doing some gardening or shovelling, then the chances are pretty high that a pulled muscle or tendon is the cause of your back discomfort. Back muscles are very easy to strain if you are not used to using them.

ease back pain - skeleton

ease back pain - skeleton

Lower right back pain can also be the result of overuse, and is often connected to the pain overweight people suffer from, as the back strains to support that weight. In this case, the answer to relieving the pain is to lose some of that excess weight, and see whether the pain level goes down as your weight does. For many people it does.

Herniated discs can also cause significant back pain, and this occurs when the disc of cartilage which is between the vertebrae ruptures, or bulges putting pressure on the nerve.

Prevention is the way to go when back are the concern, and this means that if you are going to be using back muscles, you should get them warmed up first. If you do strain your back causing right back pain, then apply ice as soon as you can to reduce the swelling. This should be done for 10-15 minutes every hour for the first 2-3 days of the injury.

Although rest used to be recommended for the treatment of back pain, doctors now believe that short walks lasting only 2-3 minutes, on a level surface help to keep the back muscles strong. You should only walk distances that you can manage without pain, as you do not want to aggravate the injury to your back.

Your doctor will be able to recommend some gentle exercises for you to do as well, if these are appropriate for you to do when your injury plus your overall health are taken into consideration.

Remember that back pain can be caused by various conditions which affect the bones and the joints of the spine. Arthritis is a dull sort of pain, quite different to the pain of pulled muscles or disc injuries. Osteoporosis can lead to weakened spinal bones, and this in turn can lead to their fracture. Sometimes the vertebrae collapse because of compression fractures in the vertebrae, and of course this causes back pain.

The best thing that you can do for your back is to eat healthy foods, exercise regularly, avoid excessive drinking, and do not smoke. Keep good posture, or if it isn’t good, then try to improve it – a physiotherapist will be able to help with this. Look after your body, and it will be easier for it to live you pain free, with no right back pain.

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How Can I Stop Back And Spine Pain?

by admin on January 5, 2010

 

To be able to stop back and spine pain you first of all need to know what is causing the pain, whether it is bone related, or a muscle strain. Not knowing the true cause can lead to the wrong treatment, and can lengthen the recovery period. Once the cause has been determined by a medical professional, you can then see about treating the symptoms, knowing what is likely to help your condition, and which treatments are likely to do more harm than good.

This means that you do need to see your doctor to get your spinal pain diagnosed by a professional, unless you are very certain what the cause is, like moving heavy boxes around, and pulling a back muscle as a result.

an exercise ball may reduce your back and spine pain

an exercise ball may reduce your back and spine pain

Because there are various causes of spine and back pain, there are various treatments too, with pain relievers being recommended by some doctors, or anti-inflammatories being used to reduce the amount of inflammation. Although in the past bed rest used to be recommended for back pain, studies have shown that it actually benefits the back to keep moving, within certain parameters.

For pulled muscles and tendons which are causing the back and spine pain, the treatment of ice is strongly recommended, icing for 10 – 15 minutes every hour (except when you are sleeping). This should be for the first 2 or 3 days after the back injury, as the ice will reduce the inflammation and swelling and help the back to heal more quickly.

Walking is recommended as a mild exercise, but only limited walking to begin with, for just a few minutes, on the level, and providing it does not cause you any pain. If it causes you pain, then you will have to rest your back a little more first, as pain will only cause more inflammation and swelling, which is not what you need. There are some other exercises that could be beneficial for spinal pain, but you need to check with your medical professional first to make sure that they are suitable for you and your particular condition.

One of the best things to do for your back and spine is to prevent injury in the first place, and this is achieved by not smoking, drinking alcohol in moderation, eating a healthy diet, and exercising on a regular basis. If you look after your body, then it will be able to do what you ask of it more easily. Mistreat your body, and it will pay you back at some stage of your life. And remember that back or spine pain is a symptom of a problem, so find that cause before you cause more damage.

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Pinch Nerve (More accurately, Pinched Nerves) A Problem For You?

January 5, 2010

  A pinch nerve, or to be more accurate pinched nerves can sometimes be difficult to locate, because the pain isn’t necessarily where the nerve is being pinched or pushed out of alignment. For example, a pinched nerve in the neck can cause pain down the length of the arm, and with little or no [...]

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Back Spasms (or even a single Back Spasm) A Problem For You?

January 5, 2010

  Back spasms or a back spasm can occur at anytime, without warning, although for some people this common occurrence increases as they age. A back spasm, which is the painful contraction of a muscle, is often the result of an injury to a muscle, or nerve irritation, a back injury, or sciatica, which correctly [...]

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FAQ about Back and Spine Pain

January 6, 2010

  Back pain is very common, and the number of questions people are asking about back pain is quite amazing. Reading these questions may help you to prepare a list of questions that you want your doctor to answer, and remember these are just a few of them… Anyone know good at home, over the [...]

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