The Abcs of Preventing Low Back Pain

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

CLINIC – ACADEMIC HEALTH CENTER .......................................... The ABCs of Preventing Low Back Pain By Misty Stick, D.C., Faculty Clinician, Palmer Chiropractic Clinics It has been estimated that between 70-85 percent of U.S. adults suffer from back pain at some point in their lives, and it’s one of the most common reasons for visiting a health care professional. Chiropractic is a proven treatment option for relief of low back pain. Along with chiropractic adjustments to provide relief, doctors of chiropractic consider factors that may affect your overall health as well as your back pain, including exercise, nutrition, workplace ergonomics, sleep habits, environment and heredity. Here are some tips to help improve posture and ward off unwanted aches and pains. Low heeled, comfortable shoes—High heels can cause the low back to curve inward more than necessary, adding strain to the low back muscles. Own the right equipment—Do you sit a lot at work? Chairs should be appropriate height for the job you are doing and should swivel. Watch what you eat—Keeping the excess pounds off will keep stress off the low back. Bend at the knees for proper lifting—Keep the object close to your body and keep your back straight as you lift straight up. Activity—Regular exercise can keep all of the muscles of the body strong and healthy. Core muscles—Weak stomach muscles cause poor posture and result in the low back muscles having to pick up the slack, leading to low back pain and strain. Keep it loose—Whether you are an avid exerciser or a couch potato, your low back can benefit greatly from gentle daily stretching of the low back. Put it out—Are you a smoker? If so, put it out. Smoking can lead to degeneration of the spinal discs by cutting off vital oxygen supply. Avoid bed rest—When your low back hurts, bed rest is no longer recommended as it can actually make the problem worse! Get up and take short walks often to keep the structures moving. Invest in good sleep—Get the right mattress for your back. Sleeping on too hard or too soft of a mattress can lead to low back pain Never ignore the pain—Low back pain could be a simple ache or a sign that something else is wrong. See a chiropractor for evaluation and treatment of your low back pain. .

Copy Link

Recommended publications

Lower Back Pain in Athletes EXPERT CONSULTANTS: Timothy Hosea, MD, Monica Arnold, DO
SPORTS TIP Lower Back Pain in Athletes EXPERT CONSULTANTS: Timothy Hosea, MD, Monica Arnold, DO How common is low back pain? What structures of the back Low back pain is a very common can cause pain? problem in industrialized countries, Low back pain can come from all the affecting over 70 percent of the working spinal structures. The bony elements population. Back pain is also common of the spine can develop stress fractures, in such sports as football, soccer, or in the older athlete, arthritic changes golf, rowing, and gymnastics. which may pinch the nerve roots. The annulus has a large number of pain What are the structures fibers, and any injury to this structure, of the back? such as a sprain, bulging disc, or disc The spine is composed of three regions herniation will result in pain. Finally, the from your neck to the lower back. surrounding muscles and ligaments may The cervical region corresponds also suffer an injury, leading to pain. to your neck, the thoracic region is the mid-back (or back of the chest), How is the lower back injured? and the lumbar area is the lower back. Injuries to the lower back can be the The lumbar area provides the most result of improper conditioning and motion and works the hardest in warm-up, repetitive loading patterns, supporting your weight, and enables excessive sudden loads, and twisting you to bend, twist, and lift. activities. Proper body mechanics and flexibility are essential for all activities. Each area of the spine is composed To prevent injury, it is important to learn of stacked bony vertebral bodies with the proper technique in any sporting interposed cushioning pads called discs.
[Show full text]
Guidline for the Evidence-Informed Primary Care Management of Low Back Pain
Guideline for the Evidence-Informed Primary Care Management of Low Back Pain 2nd Edition These recommendations are systematically developed statements to assist practitioner and patient decisions about appropriate health care for specific clinical circumstances. They should be used as an adjunct to sound clinical decision making. Guideline Disease/Condition(s) Targeted Specifications Acute and sub-acute low back pain Chronic low back pain Acute and sub-acute sciatica/radiculopathy Chronic sciatica/radiculopathy Category Prevention Diagnosis Evaluation Management Treatment Intended Users Primary health care providers, for example: family physicians, osteopathic physicians, chiro- practors, physical therapists, occupational therapists, nurses, pharmacists, psychologists. Purpose To help Alberta clinicians make evidence-informed decisions about care of patients with non- specific low back pain. Objectives • To increase the use of evidence-informed conservative approaches to the prevention, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment in primary care patients with low back pain • To promote appropriate specialist referrals and use of diagnostic tests in patients with low back pain • To encourage patients to engage in appropriate self-care activities Target Population Adult patients 18 years or older in primary care settings. Exclusions: pregnant women; patients under the age of 18 years; diagnosis or treatment of specific causes of low back pain such as: inpatient treatments (surgical treatments); referred pain (from abdomen, kidney, ovary, pelvis,
[Show full text]
Anesthetic Or Corticosteroid Injections for Low Back Pain
Anesthetic or Corticosteroid Injections for Low Back Pain Examples Trigger point injections. Sometimes, putting pressure on a certain spot in the back (called a trigger point) can cause pain at that spot or extending to another area of the body, such as the hip or leg. To try to relieve pain, a local anesthetic, either alone or combined with a corticosteroid, is injected into the area of the back that triggers pain (trigger point injection). Facet joint injections. A local anesthetic or corticosteroid is injected into a facet joint, which is one of the points where one vertebra connects to another. Epidural injections. A corticosteroid is injected into the spinal canal where it bathes the sheath that surrounds the spinal cord and nerve roots. These injections can be done by an orthopedist, an anesthesiologist, a neurologist, a physiatrist, a pain management specialist, or a rheumatologist. How It Works Local anesthesia is believed to break the cycle of pain that can cause you to become less physically active. Muscles that are not being exercised are more easily injured. Then the irritated and injured muscles can cause more pain and spasm and can disrupt sleep. This pain, spasm, and fatigue, in turn, can lead to less and less activity. Steroids reduce inflammation. So a corticosteroid injected into the spinal canal can help relieve pressure on nerves and nerve roots. Why It Is Used Injections may be tried if you have symptoms of nerve root compression or facet inflammation and you do not respond to nonsurgical therapy after 6 weeks. How Well It Works Research has not shown that local injections are effective in controlling low back pain that does not spread down the leg.footnote1 Side Effects All medicines have side effects.
[Show full text]
Mechanical Low Back Pain Joshua Scott Will, DO; David C
Mechanical Low Back Pain Joshua Scott Will, DO; David C. Bury, DO; and John A. Miller, DPT Martin Army Community Hospital, Fort Benning, Georgia Low back pain is usually nonspecific or mechanical. Mechanical low back pain arises intrinsically from the spine, interverte- bral disks, or surrounding soft tissues. Clinical clues, or red flags, may help identify cases of nonmechanical low back pain and prompt further evaluation or imaging. Red flags include progressive motor or sensory loss, new urinary retention or overflow incontinence, history of cancer, recent invasive spinal procedure, and significant trauma relative to age. Imaging on initial presentation should be reserved for when there is suspicion for cauda equina syndrome, malignancy, fracture, or infection. Plain radiography of the lumbar spine is appropriate to assess for fracture and bony abnormality, whereas magnetic resonance imaging is better for identifying the source of neurologic or soft tissue abnormalities. There are multiple treatment modalities for mechanical low back pain, but strong evidence of benefit is often lacking. Moderate evidence supports the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, opioids, and topiramate in the short-term treatment of mechanical low back pain. There is little or no evidence of benefit for acetamin- ophen, antidepressants (except duloxetine), skeletal muscle relaxants, lidocaine patches, and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation in the treatment of chronic low back pain. There is strong evidence for short-term effectiveness and moderate-quality evidence for long-term effectiveness of yoga in the treatment of chronic low back pain. Various spinal manipulative techniques (osteopathic manipulative treatment, spinal manipulative therapy) have shown mixed benefits in the acute and chronic setting.
[Show full text]
Diagnosis and Treatment of Lumbar Disc Herniation with Radiculopathy
Y Lumbar Disc Herniation with Radiculopathy | NASS Clinical Guidelines 1 G Evidence-Based Clinical Guidelines for Multidisciplinary ETHODOLO Spine Care M NE I DEL I U /G ON Diagnosis and Treatment of I NTRODUCT Lumbar Disc I Herniation with Radiculopathy NASS Evidence-Based Clinical Guidelines Committee D. Scott Kreiner, MD Paul Dougherty, II, DC Committee Chair, Natural History Chair Robert Fernand, MD Gary Ghiselli, MD Steven Hwang, MD Amgad S. Hanna, MD Diagnosis/Imaging Chair Tim Lamer, MD Anthony J. Lisi, DC John Easa, MD Daniel J. Mazanec, MD Medical/Interventional Treatment Chair Richard J. Meagher, MD Robert C. Nucci, MD Daniel K .Resnick, MD Rakesh D. Patel, MD Surgical Treatment Chair Jonathan N. Sembrano, MD Anil K. Sharma, MD Jamie Baisden, MD Jeffrey T. Summers, MD Shay Bess, MD Christopher K. Taleghani, MD Charles H. Cho, MD, MBA William L. Tontz, Jr., MD Michael J. DePalma, MD John F. Toton, MD This clinical guideline should not be construed as including all proper methods of care or excluding or other acceptable methods of care reason- ably directed to obtaining the same results. The ultimate judgment regarding any specific procedure or treatment is to be made by the physi- cian and patient in light of all circumstances presented by the patient and the needs and resources particular to the locality or institution. I NTRODUCT 2 Lumbar Disc Herniation with Radiculopathy | NASS Clinical Guidelines I ON Financial Statement This clinical guideline was developed and funded in its entirety by the North American Spine Society (NASS). All participating /G authors have disclosed potential conflicts of interest consistent with NASS’ disclosure policy.
[Show full text]
Pain Management Injection Therapies for Low-Back Pain: Topic Refinement
Final Topic Refinement Document Pain Management Injection Therapies for Low back Pain – Project ID ESIB0813 Date: 9/19/14 Topic: Pain Management Injection Therapies for Low-back Pain Evidence-based Practice Center: Pacific Northwest Evidence-based Practice Center Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Task Order Officer: Kim Wittenberg Partner: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services 1 Final Topic Refinement Document Pain Management Injection Therapies for Low back Pain – Project ID ESIB0813 Final Topic Refinement Document Key Questions Key Question 1. In patients with low back pain, what characteristics predict responsiveness to injection therapies on outcomes related to pain, function, and quality of life? Key Question 2. In patients with low back pain, what is the effectiveness of epidural corticosteroid injections, facet joint corticosteroid injections, medial branch blocks, and sacroiliac joint corticosteroid injections versus epidural nonsteroid injection, nonepidural injection, no injection, surgery or non-surgical therapies on outcomes related to pain, function and quality of life? Key Question 2a. How does effectiveness vary according to the medication used (corticosteroid, local anesthetic, or both), the dose or frequency of injections, the number of levels treated, or degree of provider experience? Key Question 2b. In patients undergoing epidural corticosteroid injection, how does effectiveness vary according to use of imaging guidance or route of administration (interlaminar, transforaminal, caudal, or other)? Key Question 3. In randomized trials of low back pain injection therapies, what is the response rate to different types of control therapies (e.g., epidural nonsteroid injection, nonepidural injection, no injection, surgery, or non-surgical therapies)? Key Question 3a. How do response rates vary according to the specific comparator evaluated (e.g., saline epidural, epidural with local anesthetic, nonepidural injection, no injection, surgery, non-surgical therapies)? Key Question 4.
[Show full text]
Acute Low Back Pain
Acute low back pain Key reviewers: Mr Chris Hoffman, Orthopaedic Surgeon, Mana Orthopaedics, Wellington Dr John MacVicar, Medical Director, Southern Rehab, Christchurch Key concepts: ■ Acute low back pain is common and most patients will recover fully within three months ■ Serious causes are rare and can be excluded with careful history and examination ■ Radiological studies are not required for acute low back pain in the absence of red flags ■ An exact diagnosis is often not possible, nor needed for management ■ Patients’ beliefs and attitudes warrant as much attention as the anatomical and pathological aspects of their condition ■ Fear about pain is a major determinant of disability and possible chronicity ■ Management should include reassurance, education and helping the patient stay active ■ Adequate analgesia is important to allow the patient www.bpac.org.nz keyword: lowbackpain to stay active 6 | BPJ | Issue 21 Acute low back pain is common and often relapsing Red Flags: ▪ Trauma Low back pain is discomfort, muscle tension or stiffness ▪ Unrelenting pain, or pain worse at night localised to the area around the lumbar spine. Back pain (supine) may radiate to the groin, buttocks or legs as referred somatic pain and may be associated with lumbar radicular ▪ Age <20 years, or new back pain age >50 pain such as sciatica. years ▪ History of cancer In any given year approximately one third of adults will ▪ Systemic symptoms suffer from low back pain and one third of these will seek help from a health practitioner.1 Most people with low ▪ IV drug use back pain self-treat with over-the-counter medications and ▪ Immunosuppression or steroids lifestyle changes.2 ▪ Widespread or progressive neurological deficit Low back pain is described as acute if present for less than six weeks, sub-acute between six weeks and three Serious causes of acute low back pain are rare months, and chronic if it continues for longer than three and include:6 months.
[Show full text]
Lumbar Degenerative Disease Part 1
International Journal of Molecular Sciences Article Lumbar Degenerative Disease Part 1: Anatomy and Pathophysiology of Intervertebral Discogenic Pain and Radiofrequency Ablation of Basivertebral and Sinuvertebral Nerve Treatment for Chronic Discogenic Back Pain: A Prospective Case Series and Review of Literature 1, , 1,2, 1 Hyeun Sung Kim y * , Pang Hung Wu y and Il-Tae Jang 1 Nanoori Gangnam Hospital, Seoul, Spine Surgery, Seoul 06048, Korea; [email protected] (P.H.W.); [email protected] (I.-T.J.) 2 National University Health Systems, Juronghealth Campus, Orthopaedic Surgery, Singapore 609606, Singapore * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +82-2-6003-9767; Fax.: +82-2-3445-9755 These authors contributed equally to this work. y Received: 31 January 2020; Accepted: 20 February 2020; Published: 21 February 2020 Abstract: Degenerative disc disease is a leading cause of chronic back pain in the aging population in the world. Sinuvertebral nerve and basivertebral nerve are postulated to be associated with the pain pathway as a result of neurotization. Our goal is to perform a prospective study using radiofrequency ablation on sinuvertebral nerve and basivertebral nerve; evaluating its short and long term eﬀect on pain score, disability score and patients’ outcome. A review in literature is done on the pathoanatomy, pathophysiology and pain generation pathway in degenerative disc disease and chronic back pain. 30 patients with 38 levels of intervertebral disc presented with discogenic back pain with bulging degenerative intervertebral disc or spinal stenosis underwent Uniportal Full Endoscopic Radiofrequency Ablation application through either Transforaminal or Interlaminar Endoscopic Approaches. Their preoperative characteristics are recorded and prospective data was collected for Visualized Analogue Scale, Oswestry Disability Index and MacNab Criteria for pain were evaluated.
[Show full text]
The Global Spine Care Initiative: a Summary of the Global Burden of Low Back and Neck Pain Studies
European Spine Journal https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-017-5432-9 REVIEW The Global Spine Care Initiative: a summary of the global burden of low back and neck pain studies Eric L. Hurwitz1 · Kristi Randhawa2,3 · Hainan Yu2,3 · Pierre Côté2,3 · Scott Haldeman4,5,6 Received: 9 July 2017 / Accepted: 16 December 2017 © Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2018 Abstract Purpose This article summarizes relevant fndings related to low back and neck pain from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) reports for the purpose of informing the Global Spine Care Initiative. Methods We reviewed and summarized back and neck pain burden data from two studies that were published in Lancet in 2016, namely: “Global, regional, and national incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability for 310 diseases and injuries, 1990–2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015” and “Global, regional, and national disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for 315 diseases and injuries and healthy life expectancy (HALE), 1990–2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015.” Results In 2015, low back and neck pain were ranked the fourth leading cause of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) globally just after ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and lower respiratory infection {low back and neck pain DALYs [thousands]: 94 941.5 [95% uncertainty interval (UI) 67 745.5–128 118.6]}. In 2015, over half a billion people worldwide had low back pain and more than a third of a billion had neck pain of more than 3 months duration.
[Show full text]
Chronic Low Back Pain (PDF 126KB)
Comparison of Percutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation with Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation for Long- Term Pain Relief in Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain Masataka Yokoyama, MD, Xiaohui Sun, MD, Satoru Oku, MD, Naoyuki Taga, MD, Kenji Sato, MD, Satoshi Mizobuchi, MD, Toru Takahashi, MD, and Kiyoshi Morita, MD Department of Anesthesiology and Resuscitology, Okayama University Medical School, Okayama City, Japan The long-term effect of percutaneous electrical nerve mo after the sessions. During PENS therapy, the pain stimulation (PENS) on chronic low back pain (LBP) is level decreased significantly from Week 2 in Groups A unclear. We evaluated the number of sessions for which andB(P Ͻ 0.05 or 0.01), and physical impairment and PENS should be performed to alleviate chronic LBP and required NSAIDs decreased significantly from Week 4 how long analgesia is sustained. Patients underwent (P Ͻ 0.05 or 0.01) in Group A but only at Week 4 in treatment on a twice-weekly schedule for 8 wk. Group Group B (P Ͻ 0.05 or 0.01). These effects were sustained A(n ϭ 18) received PENS for 8 wk, group B (n ϭ 17) until 1-mo follow-up (P Ͻ 0.01) in Group A but not in received PENS for the first 4 wk and transcutaneous Group B; these effects were not observed at 2-mo electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for the second 4 wk, follow-up even in Group A. In Group C, pain level de- and group C (n ϭ 18) received TENS for 8 wk. Pain creased significantly only at Week 8 (P Ͻ 0.05).
[Show full text]
Musculoskeletal Pain
Musculoskeletal Pain Kathryn Albers Mechanisms and Clinical Presentation of Pain November 4, 2019 Queme et al., (2017). Peripheral mechanisms of ischemic myalgia. Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience. Mense et al., (2010). Functional anatomy of muscle: Muscle, nociceptors and afferent fibers. In MusclePain: Understanding the Mechanisms. The musculoskeletal system consists of the body's bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, and cartilage. A tendon is a fibrous connective tissue that attaches muscle to bone (serves to move the bone). A ligament is a fibrous connective tissue that attaches bone to bone (serves to hold structures together). Major health problems presenting with muscle ache/pain are addressed by NIAMS, National Institutes of Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. Neck pain Temperomandibular joint pain Fibromyalgia Shoulder pain Low back pain Skeletal muscle comprises 40% of body weight. Muscles produce several hundred myokines; cytokines, growth factors, proteoglycan peptides released by muscle cells (myocytes) in response to muscular contractions. They have autocrine, paracrine and/or endocrine effects on muscle mass, fat metabolism, inflammation…. Lee and Jun. (2019) Role of myokines in regulating skeletal muscle mass and function. Frontiers in Physiology 10. Musculoskeletal Pain Overview Physical activity leads to contraction-induced mechanical and metabolic stimuli in muscle tissue. These stimuli activate receptors on terminals of thinly myelinated and unmyelinated DRG neurons that project to the DH of the spinal cord. • Chronic muscle pain can be regional (back or neck) or whole body with tender points spread over the body (fibromyalgia). • In contrast to cutaneous nociceptive stimuli, sensations from deep tissue (muscle, vascular, fascia) pain are dull, aching and poorly localized.
[Show full text]
Low Back Pain | Overview
Return to Web version Low Back Pain Overview What is low back pain? Low back pain is a common problem for many people. It can be caused by many different things, but you can easily prevent it by learning how to improve your posture and lift and exercise correctly. Symptoms When is low back pain serious? Call your family doctor if: Pain goes down your leg below your knee Your leg, foot, groin or rectal area feels numb You have fever, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, weakness or sweating You lose control over going to the bathroom Your pain was caused by an injury Your pain is so intense you can't move around Your pain doesn't seem to be getting better after 2 to 3 weeks Causes & Risk Factors What can cause low back injuries? Many things can cause low back injuries, such as muscle strain or spasm, sprains of ligaments (which attach bone to bone), joint problems or a "slipped disk." The most common cause is using your back muscles in activities you're not used to, such as lifting heavy furniture or doing yard work. Unexpected events such as taking a fall or a car accident can also cause low back pain. A slipped disk (also called a herniated disk) happens when a disk between the bones of the spine bulges and presses on nerves. This is often caused by twisting while lifting. Many people who have a slipped disk don't know what caused it. In most cases, slipped disks and other low back pain can be relieved by following a few simple methods.
[Show full text]