What is Back Pain?

Acute or short-term low back pain generally lasts from a few days to a few weeks. Most acute back pain is the result of trauma to the lower back or a disorder such as arthritis. Pain from trauma may be caused by a sports injury, work around the house or in the garden, or a sudden jolt such as a car accident or other stress on spinal bones and tissues. Symptoms may range from muscle ache to shooting or stabbing pain, limited flexibility and range of motion, or an inability to stand straight. Chronic back pain is pain that persists for more than 3 months. It is often progressive and the cause can be difficult to determine.

Currently, researchers are examining the use of different drugs to effectively treat back pain, in particular, chronic pain that has lasted at least 6 months. Other studies are comparing different health care approaches to the management of acute low back pain (standard care versus chiropractic, acupuncture, or massage therapy). These studies are measuring symptom relief, restoration of function, and patient satisfaction.

Back Pain and the Elderly

have back pain; so can teenagers, and adults along the path at every stage of their lives. But when a person gets older, there are certain conditions of age that are the main culprits in causing back pain. All too often this back pain will send the sufferer to their health care provider for some type of treatment. Back pain will be a bigger problem for the elderly and so their health care providers will see them often. What is done to counter these problems is different than if they were treating a younger person. But must not be simply handing out medication. Interestingly the pain suffered by young adults, like a slipped disc, is not likely something you will see in a senior back pain sufferer. All too often the older you get the more likely your back pain becomes chronic. As well, many of the problems that cause back pain when a person ages are more serious, They can include degenerative conditions relating to the spine which are a fact of life caused by the wear of living. As well as serious infections and sometimes even cancer.
Osteoporosis is a condition of the aged. It thins the bones causing them to have a higher incidence of breakage. This can be a dangerous problem as it becomes common to crack a vertebrate, fracture a hip or the pelvis or break an ankle or wrist. Still, with proper care there should be no worries about healing. As you get older you may heal a little slower, or just as fast, but you'll heal and as you do the pain will diminish.
If it's a facture of the vertebrate, it can take from a couple of weeks to a couple of months for full recovery depending on which vertebrate and how bad the fracture is. There can be some very severe pain connected to this fracture and walking or standing may be done with considerable difficulty. Resting and doing only the minimal necessary activities is highly recommended. Older women seem to suffer back pain worse than older men.
As one ages there are likely to be diseases that set in that unfortunately also cause back pain. These can be arthritis, hip diseases, sciatica or lower spinal degeneration. This last one causes the spine to become unstable. It usually happens when one of the discs is out of place and so puts pressure on the other vertebrate. It can result in pressure also being put on the nerves. This can be very painful. It will often not only cause back pain, but may radiate pain down the legs. The pain will appear with out warning though it can be triggered by a sudden movement or too much behind or lifting. This pain will be an odd experience as it will come and go as the body is in motion or at rest.

Written by: Scott Parat