Have you ever had back pain? Low back pain is for many a routine problem, regardless of their age. For those who do not yet suffer from this pain, it is good to keep in mind that the chances of having it at some point in life are great, since the type of back pain we are going to talk about in this text is very common in the world's population.
Today, many of us live with that back pain due to lifestyle and spending a lot of time sitting and in poor posture.
What is low back pain?
Low back pain, commonly known as "lumbago", is a pain that we usually feel in the lower back area. In addition to the lumbar area, the pain can be felt in the region of the buttocks, in the back of the thigh, without going beyond the knee and without reaching a specific nerve point.
Low back pain can be classified into two types, depending on the duration of pain: may be acute or may be chronic. Low back pain that lasts between four and six weeks is classified as acute, while low back pain becomes chronic when it persists for more than twelve weeks.
Symptoms and causes of low back pain
About 1% of low back pain patients suffer acute low back pain sciatica, which is when pain radiates to the site of a lumbar nerve root and is usually accompanied by tingling and difficulty walking.
Back pain should not be treated in any way, because if it is misdiagnosed, the problem will persist, worsen and can become chronic and disabling.
Symptoms and causes of back pain
Acute low back pain usually occurs when the person makes an excessive physical effort, in which he/she may feel that the spine is strained.
Chronic low back pain can occur at any age, and is mainly due to poor posture. But chronic low back pain can also have inflammatory, infectious causes, caused by a herniated disc, a slip of the vertebra, osteoarthritis, and even derive from some emotional problem.
The back pain is located in the area below the twelfth rib and can reach the gluteal nail, and in some cases can reach the middle of the thigh.
Prevention of low back pain
- Taking care of your posture when sitting, both when working and when resting
- Try to control weight as much as possible. The heavier our body is, the more effort and work our back will have to do.
- Exercise regularly. If we exercise regularly we will fulfill 2 objectives: to lose weight and to strengthen the lumbar area. Of course, the exercises must be done taking the appropriate precautions.
- Bending the knees when bending over. In this way we will avoid overloading the lumbar area, especially if we are lifting heavy weights.
Healthy lifestyle habits will allow us to have a healthy back free of discomfort. In this other article we talk about nutrition and we offer you some interesting tips.
Treatment of low back pain
Acute low back pain tends to improve over time, but both acute and chronic low back pain can be treated to improve pain, functional ability and prevent a recurrence.
We must always rely on a physician to prescribe the correct treatment.
If the back pain is not the result of any other bodily problem, the patient can take anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics, and/or muscle relaxants.
Other treatment methods such as massage, electrotherapy and other therapies are not indicated for people with a type of chronic low back pain.. To learn more about treatment options other than medication, consult your physician.
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