The third post in my series on health issues and their economic impact on you and society.
Back Pain
Are you Do you have a pain in the neck?
No, I’m not trying to run off my readers….Pain in your back, whether it’s in your neck, mid-back, lumbar, or “butt” is all too common.
Financial impact of back pain:
- Big: It is estimated that 80% of us will have back pain during our lives, and almost 40% of us will have a problem in a given year.
- Bad: Second most common cause of missed work behind the common cold.
- Back: 125-180 Billion, with a B, in today’s Dollars. Annual costs of back pain in the USA .
Considering the monumental problem that back pain represents, you’d think there would be systematic, research based protocol for it’s diagnosis and treatment.
You’d be wrong!
Back pain has so many variables, and its sufferers are seen by so many different types of practitioners there is no consistent evidence-based guidelines to guide us Docs in the trenches…
Back Facts:
- Muscle strain is the most common cause of back pain, followed by ligament pulls, disc disease, spinal stenosis, and arthritis.
- Disc disease is noted by nerve impingement symptoms-pain down the leg, numbness, tingling, and possible muscle weakness.
- Back trouble is more common in smokers, the obese, tall thin folks, and women-but can occur in anyone.
- The 80/20 rule also seems to apply here. 80% of the costs of back pain are limited to 20% of its sufferers.
- Injuries can be acute-”picking up something heavy”, or chronic-”bad posture, repetitive motions”
- Over half of the population with NO BACK PAIN have abnormal spines or discs on X-ray, MRI, or CT. Make sure your films correlate with symptoms-if not they may be a red herring.
Back Treatment Suggestions:
- Staying active after injury is better than hitting the rack, flat on your back.
- Alternating heat (moist heat is best) has good evidence of success, and ice-not as much, but I find it helps….
- OTC analgesics-acetaminophen (Tylenol), or ibuprofen (Motrin), or naprosyn (Alleve) all are effective.
- Stretching and core exercises are a mainstay of treatment and prevention of further flareups, but are best learned from an expert physical therapist as they can be a waste of time or even cause harm if done improperly.
- Eliminate your triggers-better work chair, soft mats where you stand a lot, hydration, weight loss, smoking cessation are all important.
- Nerve impingement symptoms, (see above) if persistent, warrant investigation as they can be a sign of a serious condition.
Persistent back pain:
If you have persistent or chronic pain? Sorry, you’re screwed….Well maybe not, but chronic back pain is a frustrating problem, as a sufferer I know all too well.
- Specialists-Orthopedics, neurologists, neurosurgeons, physical therapists, chiropractics, massage therapists, acupuncturists, and psychotherapists all have a legitimate place in treatment of back pain. Knowing who is best for you is a difficult choice. You have to decide what route you are most comfortable. Talk to your doctor and friends for referrals.
- Change direction: If your problem is doesn’t respond to therapy.
- Second opinion: before having surgery. Most back pain improves with time, even those with disc disease.
- The science of pain control remains in it’s infancy. Find a specialist who will look at all alternatives.
As with most of our medical problems, we are our own worst enemy. Whether it’s hours hunched over a computer or being an obese, smoker who never exercises-we need to take responsibility for our risk factors and make life adjustments.
Making those life adjustments may keep the chiropractor from having to make his adjustments-which costs a lot more!
Reader thoughts:
What are your thoughts? Have you had any back pain problems, and how did you deal with ‘em? Meds, stretching, massage? What worked for you?
{photo credit: josh semans c.c.}
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Tags: back pain, conservative back pain treatments, costs of back pain, financial impact of back pain, treatment for back pain
Very interesting. Most people in this generation even kids are having back pain and they are try to spend most of their money to eliminate the pain their experiencing, so I wrote a book about back pain care entitled “This is Why Your Back Hurts”, eliminate your back pain without Drugs, Doctors or Surgery in just 6 Weeks! You may want to check it out. This would probably helps. Thank you