What are the types of back pain?
by Admin
Posted on 05-03-2024 04:06 PM
back pain
is one of most common reasons people see a doctor or miss days at work. Back pain can range in intensity from a dull, constant ache to a sudden, sharp or shooting pain.
There are two types of back pain:
acute (short-term) back pain lasts a few days to a few weeks. It usually resolves on its own within a few days with self-care and there is no long-term loss of function. Chronic back pain is pain that continues for 12 weeks or longer, even after an initial injury or underlying cause of back pain has been treated.
There are many ways to categorize low back pain – two common types include:.
How common is back pain?
If you’ve ever suffered from aches and pains in your back, you’re not alone: according to the american association of neurological surgeons, 75 to 85 percent of americans experience back pain at some point in their lives. But knowing what’s causing your pain can be challenging.
“the most common complaint is what we characterize as non-specific low back pain, which means we haven’t identified a specific underlying source for why that individual has back pain,” says craig van dien, m. D. , a sports medicine and physical medicine and rehabilitation physician at jfk johnson rehabilitation institute. “in most cases, this is muscle-based pain or a muscle strain.
Strained muscles often cause back pain. Strain commonly occurs with incorrect lifting of heavy objects and sudden awkward movements. Strain can also result from overactivity. An example is the sore feeling and stiffness that occurs after a few hours of yard work or playing a sport.
Around four out of five people have lower back pain at some point in their lives. It’s one of the most common reasons people visit healthcare providers. Some people are more likely to have lower back pain than others. Risk factors for lower back pain include: age: people over 30 have more back pain. Disks (soft, rubbery tissue that cushions the bones in the spine) wear away with age. As the disks weaken and wear down, pain and stiffness can result. Weight: people who have overweight/ obesity or carry extra weight are more likely to have back pain. Excess weight puts pressure on joints and disks.
It's difficult to prevent back pain. Things that may help reduce your risk include: doing back exercises and stretches often - a gp or physiotherapist can tell you what to try.
Lbp may be classified as specific or non-specific. Non-specific means that the experience of pain cannot be confidently accounted for by another diagnosis such as an underlying disease, pathology or tissue damage. It is non-specific in about 90% of cases. Risk factors for non-specific lbp include low physical activity levels, smoking, obesity and high physical stress at work. Specific lbp can be explained by an underlying disease (e. G. , cancer), tissue damage (e. G. , fracture), or may be referred from other organs (e. G. , from kidney or aortic aneurysm).
The discs in the back are prone to injury, and this risk increases with age. The outside of the discs can tear or herniate. A herniated disc is also known as a slipped or ruptured disc. It occurs when the cartilage surrounding a disc pushes against the spinal cord or nerve roots. The cushion that sits between the spinal vertebrae extends outside its usual position. This can result in the nerve root becoming compressed as it exits the spinal cord and vertebrae. Possible causes include trauma and degenerative changes over time. Without treatment, pain from a herniated disc will typically last.