Bones, disks, ligaments, nerves, and joints interact in marvelous ways to support numerous activities of the back. Since the late 1990s, the disability rates associated with lower back pain have consistently increased due to mismanagement, thus, it is essential to reboot your knowledge on what the disease entails. Prime Regenerative and Pain Management offers high-quality, evidence-based care, efficiently relieving Fredericksburg low back pain while reducing unnecessary imaging and specialty referrals.

The five common causes of back pain

Being aware of harmful postures can help you manage and prevent the occurrence of lower back pain.

  1. Slouching from texting and reading

Putting your head down and hunching your shoulders when you are texting, reading, or working on an electronic device such as a computer or mobile phone can lead to rounded-shoulders and hunched-back posture, predominantly causing back pain.

  1. Hunching over every time you pick something up or bend down

Rounding your spine when bending down puts a lot of pressure on your spinal discs, eventually causing bulging discs or herniated discs, which can lead to lower back pain. It is essential to try and keep your spine neutral when bending down.

  1. Arching your back when bending down

Arching your back when lifting heavy objects pulls back muscles causing lower back pain to occur.

  1. Overhead work straining

If you spend a lot of time working with your hands in an overhead position while arching your back, you are at risk of developing lower back pain.

  1. Excessive sitting

Spending so much time sitting, especially in poor posture, means that you are frequently in a hunched-up position, which tightens your muscles causing lower back pain.

Management of lower back pain

Patients with acute pain can benefit from conservative treatments, including preventive exercise routines, weight loss if they are obese, and addressing ergonomic issues at the workplace to prevent back pain syndromes.

However, patients with ongoing persistent pain of three to six months or more (chronic lower back pain) require a different approach to treatment involving:

  •         Physical therapy and imaging

All patients with non-resolving chronic lower back pain should have already received physical therapy at the three-month treatment point. Your doctor will also conduct additional imaging tests, including an A/P and Lateral Spine Film if your pain is non-specific or an MRI of your pain suggests a neurologic source such as herniated discs or spinal stenosis. When initial imaging is negative, your doctor will consider alternative sources of pain that can be radiating to the back, including abnormalities to the kidney or sacroiliac joints, particularly for elderly patients who may require additional assessments to exclude these sites as the source of pain.

Chronic back pain is challenging to treat. Although patients can be helped and their symptoms relieved, they rarely entirely get cured of their pain. Your doctor will help you set realistic goals to manage your pain better, helping you live an active life.

Social and psychological factors such as anxiety and depression cause chronic back pain, therefore, patients can be treated using anti-depressants, counseling, cognitive behavioral therapy, and biofeedback. As with any chronic pain syndrome, your doctor will discuss the importance of long-term medication, such as Acetaminophen and NSAIDs.

A vast majority of mechanical lower back pain gets better on its own without medical intervention. However, studies show that 30% of patients whose back pain went away on their own undergo recurrence in about six months. Contact Prime Regenerative and Pain Management to get relief for your chronic pain vulnerability today.