Chronic back pain is defined by the length of time you are suffering from pain in your lower back, rather than the severity of your pain. Chronic back pain is pain which lasts longer than three months. This may be continuous pain or intermittent, severe or mild. Often the cause of chronic back pain is difficult to determine, making it all the more difficult to treat.
What are the causes of chronic back pain?
The cause of chronic back pain can range from mechanical problems in your back, to diseases, health conditions, trauma and emotional shock. Some common causes may include:
- Osteoarthritis or rheumatism – this is a degenerative disease which affects the cartilage which cushions and prevents joints. As we grow older, this cartilage begins to wear away causing pain and stiffness
- Slipped disc – this is a colloquial name for a herniated disc, when the gel like substance inside a disc begins to leak out and put pressure on other parts of the spine.
- Sciatica – this is when the sciatic nerve is compressed or irritated. This can lead to pain in the back and lower down the legs
- Fracture – if you break a spinal bone, this can cause severe pain and reduce mobility. You may experience pain even after the fracture has healed
- Spinal stenosis – this is when the spaces between the vertebrae becomes narrower. This puts pressure on the spinal cord and may compress the nerves
- Tumour – this is relatively rare. A tumour growing near your spine will cause pain and restriction of movement.
What treatments are available?
- Home remedies – these are remedies or treatments which you can put in place at home, often after being guided or recommended by a medical professional. It is important to keep active and moving to keep your back strong and supple. There are various yin yoga asana which you can regularly perform. Make sure that you are holding a good posture when standing and sitting as often poor posture leads to back problems.
- Complementary therapies – such as massage, aromatherapy massage, reflexology, thai yoga massage. These therapies are designed to ease tension from soft tissue and thus enable the joint its full range of movement. Inflammation is eased and so pain is reduced. People often find they sleep better and being to make good connections again with the body and reduce triggering activities and increase those that support good back health.
- Acupuncture – this is when tiny needles are inserted into the body in particular points and is particularly effective for back pain. Osteopathy will focus on the skeletal structure and release tight joints and may also work on the soft tissue in order to perform their manipulations. Craniosacral therapy or bodywork is a softer approach to the structure if the ‘bone cracking’ is too much for you.
- Injections – there are different types of injections designed to help with back pain. Steroids or anaesthetics can be injected straight into the root of the nerve or into a facet joint, the point at which vertebrates connect.
- Surgery – this is usually a last resort type of treatment and would only be used if all other treatments have failed. The type of surgery you would need depends on the cause of your back pain.d
Looking at your lifestyle and what contributed, or still contributes to the issue is clearly a good idea. We then know what to avoid, or manage and how better to look after ourselves. Pain is a great mechanism for our body to let us know something is not quite right.