NECK AND BACK PAIN CARE

What are the most common causes of back pain︖

LOWER BACK PAIN SYMPTOMS

Back pain can be cured gradually by some of the home remedies and self-care to get relief from back pain. If the pain doesn’t go after a period of time, you should contact your doctor.

Most Back pain gradually improves with home remedies and self-care. You need to see a doctor if the pain worsens with time and hinders in daily activities. If you feel weakness, numbness, and tingling sensation in your legs or observe an unexplainable weight loss, resting is no longer helpful, and you must seek immediate care. Bowel or bladder problems and fever is observed in some rare cases

HOW IS PAIN IN THE LOWER BACK DIAGNOSED︖

An orthopaedic doctor can diagnose back pain after learning about the medical condition and performing physical examinations.

Physical examination such as X-Ray, MRI and CT scan can be done to identify the cause of lower back pain.

• MRI and CT scans are done for identifying herniated disk problems.
• X-rays detect damage in bones, muscles, discs and spinal cord.
• Bone scans can be done for conditions such as osteoporosis with the help of special cameras.
• EMG is another way for conforming nerve compression with spinal stenosis

What are the lower back pain treatments available︖

Home remedies provide relief from back pain in most cases within a month and do not require surgery. If home treatments aren't working after several weeks, your doctor might suggest stronger medications or other therapies. Home remedies such as, OTC’s, Hot and Cold Fermentation can be done for lower back muscle spasms.

Medications :

Depending on the type of back pain you have, your orthopaedic doctor might prescribe the following :

• Over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen or naproxen sodium may help relieve back pain.
• Muscle relaxants: If mild to moderate backache doesn't improve with OTC pain relievers, the doctor may also prescribe a muscle relaxant. Muscle relaxants can make you dizzy and sleepy.
• Topical pain relievers: These products deliver pain-relieving substances through your skin via creams, salves, ointments or patches.
• Antidepressants: Some types of antidepressants — particularly duloxetine and tricyclic antidepressants, have been effective for relieving severe back pain

Scoliosis treatments vary, depending on the extent of the curve. Children with extremely mild curves typically don't require any therapy at all, although they may require periodic exams to determine whether the curve is getting worse as they age. In cases where the spinal curve is moderate or severe, bracing or surgery may be required.

Your pain will be reduced, and your mobility will improve through sciatica pain treatment. Depending on the underlying cause, many sciatica patients improve gradually with a few basic self-care measures.

Physical Therapy :

A physical therapist helps you in increasing back flexibility and strength for improving posture. Regular use of these techniques can help keep in lowerback pain relief.

Lower Back Surgery :

If you have unrelenting pain associated with radiating leg pain or progressive muscle weakness caused by nerve compression, you might benefit from surgery. These procedures are usually reserved for pain related to structural problems, such as spinal stenosis or a herniated disk.

Some other procedures to treat Lower Back pain includes:

• Cortisone injections: These are strong anti-inflammatory drugs. Administration of cortisone decreases inflammation around the nerve roots, effects last only a month or two.
• Radiofrequency neurotomy: In this procedure, a fine needle is inserted through your skin so the tip is near the area causing your pain. Radio waves passed through the needle damages the nearby nerves, inferring the delivery of pain signals to the brain.
• Implanted nerve stimulators: Devices implanted under your skin can deliver electrical impulses to certain nerves to block pain signals.

What precautions can be taken to prevent lower back pain︖

Back pain can be prevented by improving physical condition and practising proper body mechanics to keep the back healthy.

• Exercise
  Regular exercising and aerobic activities can increase the strength and endurance of the back, allowing the muscles to function better and eliminating the development of strained back muscles.
• Build strength and flexibility
  Strengthening of the core can be done by abdominal and back muscle exercise and preventback ormuscle spasms.
• Quit smoking
  Smoking increases the risk of lower back pain so quitting can reduce the risk of developing lower back pain.
• Maintaining healthy weight
  Being overweight can put a lot of pressure on the spine. Reducing the pressure on the bone can eliminate the risk of developingsevere lower back pain.
• Stretching for lower back pain
  Stretching for back pain such as child’s pose, knee-to-chest stretch, piriformis stretches, seated spinal twist, pelvic tilt, cat-cow stretch and sphinx stretch.

The bones, ligaments, and muscles of your neck support your head. Any injury or abnormality in the neck causes pain, neck strainand neck sprain or cervical pain that is caused around the spine below the neck. Most of the time, Neck pain isn’t a serious condition and can be treated within a brief period. If your Neck pain continues for more than a week, it calls for medical attention. Neck pain is a common complaint accompanied by numbness or loss of strength in your arms or hands

What are the symptoms of neck pain︖

What are the commonly known causes of neck pain︖

Neck pain is very common and most people have it at some point in their lives. The neck is flexible and supports the weight of the head. Injuries in the neck can cause pain and restrict motion.

Neck pain left side or neck pain right side is caused due to muscle strain, poor sleeping, bad posture and is usually not serious.Neck pain causes:

• Nerve compression
• Neck joints tend to wear down with age.
• Cervical spondylosis
• Cervical Radiculopathy
• Sleeping awkwardly
• Overuse of muscles often triggers neck strains.
• Whiplash injuries occur when the head is jerked backwards and then forward, straining the soft tissues of the neck.
• Diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, meningitis or cancer can cause neck pain.

How can be neck pain diagnosed︖

Physical examination and medical history are studied by the neck doctor. He will check for tenderness, numbness, neck muscle weakness and the movement of the head. Image testing such as X-rays, CT scans and MRI can reveal areas of your neck where the nerve or spinal cord might be pinched. These tests help in producing detailed cross-sectional views of the internal structures of your neck. Blood tests help in figuring out the inflammatory reasons causing neck muscle pain.

How is neck pain treated︖

The type of neck pain treatment provided depends on the cause and severity. Your neck doctor might prescribe you strong pain medication. Physical therapy can help you in correcting posture, alignment and neck straightening. Heat, ice, electrical stimulation and other measures can help in neck pain relief and prevent a recurrence.

Steroid injections are administered near the nerve roots, into the bones of the cervical spine or muscles. Neck pain rarely requires surgery except in the cases of spinal cord compression. Over-the-counter pain, relievers such as ibuprofen, acetaminophen, etc. can be used for reducing pain. Acupuncture, chiropractic and massage can be combined with doctors recommended treatments for minimizing pain.

What measures can be taken for preventing neck pain︖

Pain in the neck is associated with poor posture combined with depleting age. To prevent neck pain, some simple changes in the daily routine can help which includes: -

• Quit smoking to avoid developing neck pain.
• Sleep in a good position with your Head and Neck aligned with your body.
• Avoid carrying heavy bags with broad straps over your shoulder.
• Take frequent breaks between work and move around.
• Adjust your chair and computer to align your monitor at your eye level