Overview
What Is It?
Spine surgery is rarely an initial treatment for back pain, however, there are a few emergencies that may require surgical treatment. In the vast majority of patients, spine surgery is only considered after a long course of conservative therapy. As stated earlier, back pain often takes quite some time to resolve. Therefore, rushing into spine surgery may not be the best idea. Most commonly, doctors will advise at least 3 to 6 months of conservative treatment before considering spine surgery.
What are the symptoms ?
Most lumbar muscle strains and sprains cause symptoms isolated to the low back, usually they do not cause problems in the legs like some other spine conditions.
The most common symptoms of a lumbar strain or sprain are:
Pain around the low back and upper buttocks Low back muscle spasm Pain associated with activities, and generally relieved with rest Diagnosis
Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and your medical history. He or she will examine your back muscles and spine and will move you certain ways to check for pain, muscle tenderness or weakness, stiffness, numbness or abnormal reflexes. For example, if you have a disk problem, you may have pain in your lower back when the doctor raises your straightened leg.
Your symptoms and the physical examination may give your doctor enough information to diagnose the problem. However, with back pain, your doctor may only be able to tell you that the problem is not serious. If your doctor determines that your back pain is caused by muscle strain, obesity, pregnancy or another cause that is not urgent, you may not need any additional tests. However, if he or she suspects a more serious problem involving your vertebrae or spinal nerves
especially if your back pain has lasted longer than 12 weeks, you may need one or more of the following tests:
- X-rays of your back
- Blood and/or urine tests
- Spinal magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)
- Computed tomography (CT) scan
- Nerve conduction studies and electromyography to determine whether nerves, muscles or both may be injured
- Bone scan, especially if you have a previous history of cancer
Expected Duration
How long back pain lasts depends on its cause. For example, if your pain is caused by strain from overexertion, you may be able to return to your normal activities gradually over a period of several days or weeks. However, you should avoid heavy lifting, prolonged sitting or sudden bending or twisting until your back gets better.
Women who have back pain caused by the added weight of pregnancy almost always will get better after delivery. However, patients who are obese may need to lose weight before back pain eases. People with back pain caused by pyelonephritis often begin to feel better within days after they start taking antibiotics, although they usually need to continue taking antibiotics for up to two weeks. People with more serious forms of back pain caused by problems with the vertebrae or spinal nerves usually have back pain that lasts at least 12 weeks and may last for years, depending on the specific cause and the treatment.
Treatment
Most episodes of back pain are not serious and are treated with:
Limited bed rest (no more than two days) Acetaminophen (Tylenol and others) for pain or oral anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin and others) or naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), for pain and inflammation Muscle relaxants or prescription pain relievers, if necessary, for a short period of timeHot or cold compresses
Back Ache Causes
Back pain is sometimes the result of an injury or degenerative process. These forms of pain usually react positively to appropriate medical or alternative treatment. Other times, a seemingly physical injury can actually just be a trigger for a pain condition to begin. This is one of the most common types of psychological back pain. The physical incident creates a convincing reason for a psychological pain condition to commence. Many physical muscular or spinal abnormalities are common in the general population. Low Back Strain
What is a low back strain or lumbar sprain?
Muscle strains and lumbar sprains are the most common causes of low back pain. A low back muscle strain occurs when the muscle fibers are abnormally stretched or torn. A lumbar sprain occurs when the ligaments, the tough bands of tissue that hold bones together, are torn from their attachments. Differentiating a strain from a sprain can be difficult, as both injuries will show similar symptoms. Many doctors refer to both injuries as a category called "musculoligamentous injuries" of the lumbar spine. In general, it doesn't matter what you call the problem because the treatment and prognosis for both back strains and sprains is the same.
Prevention
You can help prevent some forms of back pain by strengthening your back with appropriate exercises and by avoiding activities that lead to back injury.
This means:
- Practice good posture.
- Sleep on your side or on your back with a pillow under your knees if you can.
- Exercise regularly, but stretch before and after.
- Practice abdominal crunches to strengthen abdominal muscles, which support your lower back. Also, walk or swim regularly to strengthen your lower back.
- Lift objects safely. Always lift from a squatting position, using your hips and your legs to do the heavy work. Avoid lifting, twisting and bending at the same time.
- Avoid sitting or standing for extended periods of time.
- Wear soft soled shoes with heels that are less than 1½ inches high.
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