Lower Back Pain

By Author: Paul Sean
Total Articles: 1
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The debate about lower back pain continues and so is the quest for a permanent remedy for this chronic ailment. Chronic ailment- the word itself has a lot of meaning. It means that there is no permanent cure till date for this ailment. Treatment has more to management of the state by suitable measures to keep the body free from the symptoms of the ailment. However with proper exercises, weight reduction and a healthy lifestyle can go a long way in alleviating the discomfort associated with low back pain.
Lower Back Pain can be caused by a variety of reasons and the chief among them is increased weight, disc prolapse, and muscle imbalance caused by remaining in a particular position like sitting for a long time. Increased weight especially in the tummy region can cause severe and chronic backache. The spine is the main supporting structure of our body. Any increase in weight on the tummy region will cause and extra pressure on the spine which it has to counterbalance by making use of the muscles of the back. Continuous use of the muscles of the back can agonize it and the muscles ...
... can go into a spasm, which manifests itself as low back pain. Even an increase in the girth of the abdomen by 1cm. can put an extra load of 2.7 kg on the spine.
Lower back pain is a common ailment in women, especially after menopause. After menopause due to some unknown reasons the calcium from the bones start getting eroded and this leads to the bones becoming weak and brittle. The discs of the vertebral column can become prolapsed and the nerves compressed causing severe back pain. Lower Back Pain caused due to disc prolapsed is a chronic condition and requires prolonged treatment with NSAID’s, Steroids and even surgical procedures.
NSAID’s are a double edged sword which if used for intermittent periods can give much relief from pain. However there are number of side effects of NSAID’s with prolonged periods. Chief among them are sever gastric irritation leading to ulcers, bronchospasm can be precipitated in patients with asthma and a danger of addiction. The same can also be said about corticosteroids like Betamethazone, Dexamethazone and Prednisolone. These steroids are very effective in relieving pain if used for short periods but can cause serious and often fatal conditions with prolonged use.
The best cure for Chronic Back Pain is exercises which are specifically designed to strengthen the muscles of the back. Reducing obesity and proper postures while sitting can also help to prevent low back pain. Lower back pain in women needs a careful observation of the body to pin point the exact cause of low back pain. The Doctor can suggest various means and line of treatment as per the risk versus benefit ratio.
For patients with severe debilitating back pain a new procedure known as Transcutaneous Electric Manipulation (TENS). It involves sending electrical pulses through electrodes to the affected muscles to depolarize the muscles and relieve the pain due to spasm of the muscles.