Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Back Pain, Conditions, and Treatments—Oh my!


According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), back pain is the second most common neurological ailment in the U.S.  Almost every man and woman will suffer from some kind of back pain during their life.

As the body ages, our bone strength, muscle elasticity and tone begins to decrease. The duration of this pain will vary. For some, acute pain may last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. For others, the condition may become chronic, which is measured when pain persists for more than 3 months.

Some conditions commonly associated with back pain are: bulging disc, sciatica, spinal degeneration, spinal stenosis, osteoporosis, skeletal irregularities, fibromyalgia and spondylitis. These conditions can be uncovered in a variety of methods such as: X-ray, discography, computerized tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), electrodiagnostic procedures, bone scans, thermography, and ultrasound imaging.

Treatments that aren’t surgically related are used to restore proper function and strength to ones back and prevent recurrence of the injury. Some treatments may include the use of cold and hot compresses, bed rest, exercise, medications, chiropractic care, acupuncture, biofeedback and traction.

No comments:

Post a Comment