Low Back Pain can happen to anyone
Chances are that if you are human, you will experience some type of low back pain during your lifetime. Back pain is a common ailment. In fact, it is one of the most common health problems among American adults and the number 2 reason Americans see a healthcare provider (second only to colds or flu). When you suddenly have pain in your lower back, it is called acute low back pain.
This kind of pain can be extreme and it can be scary. All of a sudden you may not be able to put on your shoes or to drive to work. It can be experienced as breathtaking stab of pain, a burning throb in the low back area or a nagging pull. Life seems to stop due to the pain.
The good news is that, in most cases, acute low back pain will resolve on its own when you take care of it properly. There are several steps you can take immediately to help relieve the discomfort. Following some Dos and Don’ts will help you immediately.
What to Do when low back pain begins
- Apply ice for 15 to 20 min every 2 hours
- Avoid movements that hurt but do not stop moving completely
- If you are permitted by your doctor, try an anti-inflammatory pain reliever. These types of medicine will reduce pain and inflammation in the affected tissue areas.
- If you do not have any improvement in the first 48 hours, call your health care provider. You should also call sooner if you feel your pain changing into additional symptoms.
- Additional symptoms accompanying your back pain that require immediate medical workup include: If your pain was a result following a severe injury or fall, you are now experiencing a loss of bowel or bladder control, you have an unexplained fever with your low back pain or if you have a history of cancer.
The Don’ts to acute low back pain
- Do not use heat on the area for the first 48 hours.
- Do not or greatly avoid bending, twisting or lifting.
- Do not stay in bed or completely avoid all activity. Try to do some light aerobic activity with a stationary bike or swimming.
Common Causes of low back pain
Acute low back pain can be the result of repeated stress on the back vs the result of a single incident. This type of repeated stress includes excessive forward bending or heavy lifting, sitting or standing too long at work, sports that include impact and twisting and poor postural habits.
Repetitive movements in awkward positions can place stress on your muscles, joints and ligaments. Stress on muscles causes muscle strains and stress on ligaments/joints can produce sprains. Usually these are mini traumas without excessive inflammation or pain. However, over time the healing of these mini traumas create scar tissue in the affected areas making these areas weaker and less flexible than before any trauma occurred. This slow change in tissue overtime makes the back less flexible and strong and more susceptible to injury.
Prevention of low back pain
Reduce your stress level, lose weight if you are overweight and quit smoking if you are a smoker. Stress creates muscle tension, excessive weight pulls on the spine and smoking reduces oxygen delivery to injured tissues. All three contribute to a weak back. Below are some other blog connections that may help you.
https://www.optimal-pt.com/breathing-a-secr…stress-reduction/
https://www.optimal-pt.com/are-you-ready-to-stop-smoking/
How Physical Therapy can help
If you have tried the above and your pain is still persisting, consider a few sessions of physical therapy. Physical Therapists are specially trained to deal with musculoskeletal spinal pain. There are treatment methods to reduce pain and a therapist can guide gentle stretching and strengthening activities for you as well as teach you how to modify movements when in pain. Back pain prevention tips will also be taught to help you avoid pain in the future.
The physical therapists at Optimal Physical Therapy and Sports Performance are direct access licensed which means that they can evaluate you without a physician’s prescription. Give us a call if you need help.
