Facts On Back Pain Relief
Back pain is a common problem that affects men and women in nearly equal proportions. The incidence of the condition appears to increase with advancing age. In general, the problem may be described as being acute or chronic. The latter term is used if it has lasted for less than two weeks and the former used if the duration is more than two weeks. There are a number of things on back pain relief Blue Bell, PA residents need to know if struggling with the problem.
To manage a case of back ache, one needs to understand the underlying problem. The commonest cause of acute back discomfort is a muscle strain resulting from strenuous physical activities. Fortunately, most cases will resolve spontaneously either spontaneously or with the use of over the counter analgesic agents. A few cases, remain persistent and progress to chronicity.
Among the commonest causes of chronic back ache is a degenerative condition known as osteoarthritis. The condition affects large joints including the ankle joint, the knee joint, the hip joint and intervertebral joints. The problem is often seen from the sixth decade of life. The discomfort has been observed to be aggravated by movements taking place at the affected joints.
While there is no definitive treatment of osteoarthritis (except removal of affected bones in severe cases), analgesic agents are often used to provide relief. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory analgesic drugs, NSAIDs are, in particular, quite helpful. Examples include diclofenac, naproxen and aspirin among others. Opioids and opioid-like drugs such as tramadol may be prescribed if the symptoms are severe. Exercise is often prescribed alongside the drugs.
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 may be involved in one of two ways; as primary bone tumors affecting the spine or as secondary tumors (metastasis). Multiple myeloma is the commonest bone tumor that affects bones primarily. Others include osteogenic sarcoma, giant cell tumors and so on. Secondary tumors that metastasize to the spine and cause pain may originate from the thyroid, breasts, kidneys or the prostate gland. As is the case with other types of cancers, treatment is through chemotherapy, radiotherapy or surgery depending on the stage.
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.
Acupuncture and acupressure are also offered widely. The former is a practice that involves the use of needles to restore wellness. These needles are inserted in specific predetermined areas of the body to influence the flow of life energy (qi). Acupressure works in similar fashion but instead of needles, pressure is exerted using the palm of the hand.
To manage a case of back ache, one needs to understand the underlying problem. The commonest cause of acute back discomfort is a muscle strain resulting from strenuous physical activities. Fortunately, most cases will resolve spontaneously either spontaneously or with the use of over the counter analgesic agents. A few cases, remain persistent and progress to chronicity.
Among the commonest causes of chronic back ache is a degenerative condition known as osteoarthritis. The condition affects large joints including the ankle joint, the knee joint, the hip joint and intervertebral joints. The problem is often seen from the sixth decade of life. The discomfort has been observed to be aggravated by movements taking place at the affected joints.
While there is no definitive treatment of osteoarthritis (except removal of affected bones in severe cases), analgesic agents are often used to provide relief. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory analgesic drugs, NSAIDs are, in particular, quite helpful. Examples include diclofenac, naproxen and aspirin among others. Opioids and opioid-like drugs such as tramadol may be prescribed if the symptoms are severe. Exercise is often prescribed alongside the drugs.
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 may be involved in one of two ways; as primary bone tumors affecting the spine or as secondary tumors (metastasis). Multiple myeloma is the commonest bone tumor that affects bones primarily. Others include osteogenic sarcoma, giant cell tumors and so on. Secondary tumors that metastasize to the spine and cause pain may originate from the thyroid, breasts, kidneys or the prostate gland. As is the case with other types of cancers, treatment is through chemotherapy, radiotherapy or surgery depending on the stage.
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.
Acupuncture and acupressure are also offered widely. The former is a practice that involves the use of needles to restore wellness. These needles are inserted in specific predetermined areas of the body to influence the flow of life energy (qi). Acupressure works in similar fashion but instead of needles, pressure is exerted using the palm of the hand.
About the Author:
When you are looking for the facts about back pain relief, pay a visit to our web pages online here today. Additional details are available at http://energywithintherapy.com now.
Comments
Post a Comment