About the Back and Back Problems

If you have been bothered by your lower back, you are not alone. Eight out of ten adults will have a low back problem at some time in their life. And most will have more than one episode of acute low back problems. In between episodes, most people return to their normal activities with little or no symptoms.

CAUSES OF LOW BACK PAIN
DIAGNOSING THE PROBLEM
TREATMENT FOR LOW BACK PAIN
PREVENTING LOW BACK PAIN
When Low Back Symptoms Return

A low back problem may come on suddenly or gradually. It is acute if it lasts a short while, usually a few days to several weeks. An episode that lasts longer than 3 months is not acute. Low back symptoms can keep you from doing your normal daily activities or doing things that you enjoy. Low back problems are often painful. But the good news is that very few people turn out to have a major problem with the bones or joints of the back or a dangerous medical condition.

The problem does not go away within a few days.

The human spine (or backbone) is made up of small bones called vertebrae. The vertebrae are stacked on top of each other to form a column. Between each vertebra is a cushion known as a disc. The vertebrae are held together by ligaments, and muscles are attached to the vertebrae by bands of tissue called tendons.
Openings in each vertebra line up to form a long hollow canal. The spinal cord runs through this canal from the base of the brain. Nerves from the spinal cord branch out and leave the spine through the spaces between the vertebrae.

The lower part of the back holds most of the bodys weight. Even a minor problem with the bones, muscles, ligaments, or tendons in this area can cause pain when a person stands, bends, or moves around. Less often, a problem with a disc can pinch or irritate a nerve from the spinal cord, causing pain that runs down the leg, below the knee called sciatica.

CAUSES OF LOW BACK PAIN

1)Why Do I Get Low Back Pain? The lumbosacral area of the lower spine bears much of the body weight and is a key stress point in body movements, especially bending, lifting and twisting. Most aches and pains in the low back can be attributed to injury, aging, or abnormalities in bone or joint formation of the lower back.

2)What Are The Common Causes Of Low Back Pain? The most common causes of low back pain are: Muscle and ligament problems such as strains, imbalance, dysfunctions, or injuries which may lead to pain and spasm;
a) Problems associated with the discs themselves such as poor genomics as well as accumulated insult and injury
b) Degenerative discs becoming a disease process;
c) Problems associated with the small alignment joints of the spine called the facets;
Low back pain can also result from birth defects, tumors, abnormalities in the blood vessels, or by problems not related to the spinal column itself, such as kidney difficulties, blood vessel aneurysms, tumors, diseases within the pelvis, reproductive organ problems, etc.

3)What Are Muscle Spasms Of The Low Back? Low back muscle spasms are continuous or interrupted cramps caused by undue stress or injury of muscles and ligaments of the back; their purpose is often to splint or protect a nearby painful nerve, joint, or ligament.
Because spasms often occur in non-muscular (joint, ligament, disc space) injuries, people frequently mistake a mechanical low back or disc problems for a muscle injury.

4)What Is Mechanical Low Back Pain? Mechanical low back pain is pain related to certain motions and postures of the back. Often there are abnormal changes, such as weakening of some of the supporting structures of the low back, most especially the pairs of little facet joints or the outer fibers of the disc structure. These changes allow abnormal motion in the joints or disc space and can cause an irritation of the nerves that give feeling to these joints. This may produce severe, usually recurrent, local and radiating buttock/leg pain and reflex spasm in nearby muscles.

5)What Causes Instability In The Spine? Sometimes the tough but elastic fibers that make up the outer rind of the disc start to break down from injury, aging, or an inherited tendency. When this happens, the disc and attached bones may start to shift around or wobble. This creates instability in the spine and may be so painful as to require a bone-to-bone fusion. Deterioration of the little alignment joints of the spine may produce painful instability; it can also occur as a result of a fracture of the bony connection of the facets to the supporting vertebral body.

6)Does Extra Weight Cause Back Pain? If you are overweight, it is almost certain that there is excess loading on your lumbar spine. It is extremely important for overweight individuals with low back pain to undergo weight loss as the first part of a treatment program. Excess weight also leads to a thinning of the abdominal muscles which are so important in maintaining strength of the body trunk.

DIAGNOSING THE PROBLEM

How Is The Problem Diagnosed And Confirmed?
The patient's clinical history (the story about what has happened) is invaluable in determining the general or specific nature of the problem and what has produced it. A careful assessment of the patient's complaints provides important clues to differentiate soft tissue, muscle, or ligament problems from spinal nerve compression, or from mechanical or joint syndrome.
Talking about your symptoms : Our staff will want to know about your back problem.
Here are some examples of the kinds of questions he or she may ask you. You can write down the answers in the space below each question:

1.When did your back symptoms start?

2.Which of your daily activities are you not able to do because of your back symptoms?

3.Is there anything you do that makes the symptoms better or worse?

4.Have you noticed any problem with your legs?

5.Around the time your symptoms began, did you have a fever or symptoms of pain or burning when urinating?

6.Talking about your medical history

7.Have you had a problem with your back in the past? If so, when?

8.What medical illnesses have you had
(for example, cancer, arthritis, or diseases of the immune system)?

9.Which medicines do you take regularly?

10.Have you ever used intravenous (IV) drugs?

11.Have you recently lost weight without trying?

Be sure to tell our staff about your general health and about illnesses you have had in the past. Here are some questions your ealth care provider may ask you about your medical history. You should also tell our staff about anything you may be doing for our symptoms: medicines you are taking, creamsor ointments you are using, and other home remedies.

Next to the clinical history, the chiropractic examination (physical and neurological/orthopaedic examination )is of key importance in determining the actual nature and extent of the problem. The use of a patient questionnaire is also of significant value.

Dr Gun will examine your back. Even after a careful physical examination, it may not be possible for Dr Gun to tell you the exact cause of your low back problem. But you most likely will find out that your symptoms are not being caused by a dangerous medical condition. Very few people (about 1 in 200) have low back symptoms caused by such conditions(cauda equna syndrome:If you have problems controlling your bowel or bladder, if you feel numb in the groin or rectal area, or if there is extreme leg weakness, call your health care provider right away.).

TREATMENT FOR LOW BACK PAIN

Non-Surgical Treatment Method is best for patient.
For many patients, management of their back problems is achieved through a low back education program, weight control, therapeutic swimming, and specialized physical therapy including custom exercise programs and proper body mechanics and dynamics. Bed rest, short-term use of back supports, and limited amounts of non-narcotic medications are often helpful.

What Is Spinal Distraction? (COX DIstraction technique)

Safe and controlled spinal distraction, performed on a daily basis has shown itself to be a very effective means of treating patients with disc herniations who are not immediate surgical candidates. Distraction can serve as effective therapy but it is also an important means of maintaining good spine health and in preventing future disability in those identified (at an early age) as having genomic problems.

PREVENTING LOW BACK PAIN

1)How Can I Prevent Low Back Pain? A lifetime maintenance program of weight control, exercise, good posture, and care when bending, twisting, lifting or stretching are the most important ways to prevent back injury.

2) What Exercises Are Best? Therapeutic swimming (aquatic aerobic exercises), which differs from recreational (laps) swimming, is one of the best-all-around exercises for your back. Other good exercises include hiking, brisk walking (not jogging), stretching, and gentle sit-ups with the knees bent. Some people need to work on flexibility of the spine and legs, whereas other people need to work on strengthening, and still others need to work on a combination of stretching and strengthening, so it is difficult to prescribe an exercise program without knowing your specific needs.

The following is a list of Do's and Don'ts in exercising the back for the general population.

DO's

1. Stretch and warm up before exercising.
2. Stretch again after exercising.
3. Do those exercises that are specific for your type of activity and back problem
and your pattern of pain.
4. Maintain good posture.

DON'TS

1. Don't do standing toe touches (standing and reaching down to touch your toes or to touch your toes and to touch the floor).
2. Don't do straight leg raising exercises (lying on your back and raising both legs up off the floor). Generally, this increases the arch in the lower back and, for some people, can cause considerable discomfort.
3. Don't do straight-legged sit-ups, as the abdominal muscles are not worked maximally.
4. Don't do alternate standing toe touching (reaching and touching the opposite toe and thus forward bending and rotating the body at the same time).
5. Don't bounce when stretching.
6. Don't do rotation and twisting type exercises.
7. Don't hold your breath while exercising.

Consultation with Dr Gun is recommended for specific exercises that may be best for your low back problem.

Exercise can help you to feel better faster and prevent more back problems. A regular exercise program adds to your general health and may help you get back to the things you enjoy doing.

When Low Back Symptoms Return

More than half of the people who recover from a first episode of acute low back symptoms will have another episode within a few years. Unless your back symptoms are very different from the first episode, or you have a new medical condition, you can expect to recover quickly and fully from each episode.

While Your Back is Getting Better

It is important to remember that even though you are having a problem with your back now, most likely it will begin to feel better soon. It is important to keep in mind that you are the most important person in taking care of your back and in helping to get back to your regular activities. It may also help you to remember that: Most low back problems last for a short amount of time and the symptoms usually get better with little or no medical treatment.