WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU IGNORE BACK PAIN?…

 

What happens if you ignore back pain? They say that up to 7% of people with acute back pain will develop chronic back pain.

If your back pain started after a simple movement, like picking up a book from the floor then it’s possible you could have a slipped disc or a joint problem in your spine.

However, back pain is second only to headaches as the most common location of pain so it could be a simple strain.

They say that many people who lead sedentary lives suffer back pain, or have inherited a genetic susceptibility to back pain.

Of course there are other conditions that can cause back pain. Severe intermittent back pain that goes down to your groin, could indicate that you have kidney stones. Pain in the middle of your back, which becomes worse after eating, could indicate a stomach ulcer. Neighbouring organs problematic? Back pain can also be the result of abscesses, blood clots or tumours in other organs near the spine.

People working in a job that causes vibration like a truck driver can also suffer from back pain. It is a fact that in a two-week period of time, between 25 – 33% of all adults get some form of back pain, so you are far from being on your own.

Back pain became a part of life when humans started walking upright, rather than on all fours. The vertebrae were never really designed to deal with walking upright.

You have to remember that the spine, is like a central scaffolding for the rest of the body. The skull, the ribs, the pelvis and the limbs are attached to it.

In about 85% of acute back pain cases, the exact cause cannot be identified. But the spine is so strong that it can withstand the pressure of hundreds of kilograms.

Always look after your scaffolding and visit your GP if you have any problems before it becomes chronic and remember the Red alert. When certain conditions, are present together with back pain, such as loss of bowel or bladder control, numbness, pins and needles, rapid weight loss, a history of cancer, or drug use, pain unrelated to movement, you should go straight to hospital or phone for an Ambulance.

One of the best sites for up to date research and articles is The British Pain Society which has articles on all things related to pain including pain management programs and pain clinics in the UK.