Back ache is a common problem among both men and women. Both are affected in almost the same proportions. The incidence becomes higher with advancing age. For ease of management, it is divided into acute and chronic pain. Acute pain is that which has been experienced for not more than two weeks while chronic pain is that which has existed for more than two weeks. Blue Bell, PA residents need to understand a number of things when looking for back pain relief.
Treatment is dependent on the underlying problem. Most cases of acute pain are due to muscle strain such as that which occurs after involvement in strenuous physical activity. They tend to resolve spontaneously with time or with over the counter analgesic agents. In a few cases, they may fail to resolve to the medication and progress to become chronic.
One of the commonest causes of chronic back ache is a condition known as osteoarthritis. This is degenerative condition affecting the large joints. It frequently starts during the sixth decade of life and remains persistent. Some of the joints that are likely to be affected are the knee joints, the hip joints and the joints of the spine. Symptoms are observed to be worse with movement.
There is no definitive treatment for this problem. Over the counter analgesic agents are usually prescribed. They include non-steroidal analgesic agents such as aspirin, ibuprofen, diclofenac and naproxen among others. If these fail to relieve the pain, stronger drugs such as opioids may be used. Surgery is reserved for the very severe cases and involves placement of prostheses to replace affected articular surfaces. Exercise has a role as well.
Infections may cause both acute and chronic pain. Bacterial infections can be easily managed using antibiotics. The antibiotics may, however, not be effective against tuberculosis. A specific set of drugs is available for this. Tuberculosis causes marked deformity and subsequent spine instability due to its destructive effect on bony structures. Corrective surgery such as spinal fusion may be needed in this case to restore normalcy.
Tumors cause pain by affecting bony structures as well as soft tissues. There are two main types of tumors that affect the spine: primary and secondary. Primary tumors originate from vertebral bodies while secondary tumors are those that have spread to the spine from other regions. The commonest primary tumor is malignant melanoma. Others are osteochondroma, giant cell tumor and osteosarcoma among others. Secondary tumors originate from other sites including the breast, the thyroid, the prostate and the kidneys among others.
Apart from medical therapies, there are a number of other treatments that have been tried successfully for this problem. Physical therapy is among those that are most effective. It consist of two forms; passive and active exercises. Active exercises are those that are done by the patients themselves while passive exercises are conducted by the therapist. The common practice is to combine both forms so as to optimize on the results.
Acupressure and acupuncture are other options that one may consider. Acupuncture is said to work by restoring the normal flow of life energy (also known as qi). This is made possible through the use of fine needles that are inserted into the body in predetermined regions. Acupressure is done similarly but the palm of the hand is used to apply pressure instead of needles.
Treatment is dependent on the underlying problem. Most cases of acute pain are due to muscle strain such as that which occurs after involvement in strenuous physical activity. They tend to resolve spontaneously with time or with over the counter analgesic agents. In a few cases, they may fail to resolve to the medication and progress to become chronic.
One of the commonest causes of chronic back ache is a condition known as osteoarthritis. This is degenerative condition affecting the large joints. It frequently starts during the sixth decade of life and remains persistent. Some of the joints that are likely to be affected are the knee joints, the hip joints and the joints of the spine. Symptoms are observed to be worse with movement.
There is no definitive treatment for this problem. Over the counter analgesic agents are usually prescribed. They include non-steroidal analgesic agents such as aspirin, ibuprofen, diclofenac and naproxen among others. If these fail to relieve the pain, stronger drugs such as opioids may be used. Surgery is reserved for the very severe cases and involves placement of prostheses to replace affected articular surfaces. Exercise has a role as well.
Infections may cause both acute and chronic pain. Bacterial infections can be easily managed using antibiotics. The antibiotics may, however, not be effective against tuberculosis. A specific set of drugs is available for this. Tuberculosis causes marked deformity and subsequent spine instability due to its destructive effect on bony structures. Corrective surgery such as spinal fusion may be needed in this case to restore normalcy.
Tumors cause pain by affecting bony structures as well as soft tissues. There are two main types of tumors that affect the spine: primary and secondary. Primary tumors originate from vertebral bodies while secondary tumors are those that have spread to the spine from other regions. The commonest primary tumor is malignant melanoma. Others are osteochondroma, giant cell tumor and osteosarcoma among others. Secondary tumors originate from other sites including the breast, the thyroid, the prostate and the kidneys among others.
Apart from medical therapies, there are a number of other treatments that have been tried successfully for this problem. Physical therapy is among those that are most effective. It consist of two forms; passive and active exercises. Active exercises are those that are done by the patients themselves while passive exercises are conducted by the therapist. The common practice is to combine both forms so as to optimize on the results.
Acupressure and acupuncture are other options that one may consider. Acupuncture is said to work by restoring the normal flow of life energy (also known as qi). This is made possible through the use of fine needles that are inserted into the body in predetermined regions. Acupressure is done similarly but the palm of the hand is used to apply pressure instead of needles.
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