BACK ACHE | Cause, singn & symptoms, Diagnosis, Prevention | HOMEOPATHY

 Pain in the back from cervical vertebrae to coccyx is called back pain. Lower Back pain is called as Lumbago. Back pain which leads to thighs is called sciatica. The spine is a complex interconnecting network of nerves, joints, muscles, tendons and ligaments, and all are capable of producing pain

Back pain is one of humanity's most frequent complaints. In the U.S., acute low back pain (also called lumbago) is the fifth most common reason for physician visits. About nine out of ten adults experience back pain at some point in their life, and five out of ten working adults have back pain every year

Back pain may have a sudden onset or can be a chronic pain; it can be constant or intermittent, stay in one place or radiate to other areas. It may be a dull ache, or a sharp or piercing or burning sensation. Backache Is not a disease but a symptom of a illness.

What cause back ache?

·         Occupational hazards:- Lifting heavy objects, prolonged standing or sitting, sitting in front of the computer for long hours at a stretch, are the most common cause of back ache.

·         Diseases of vertebral column – like pott’s spine, tumor, and disk prolapse or herniated intervertebral disk, degenerative disk disease, osteomalacia, osteoporosis, spondylosis.

·         Spinal cord infection can cause back pain.

·         Mechanical causes:- abnormal sitting postures, injury or trauma, extreme obesity, sleeping on very soft mattresses.

·         Extra spinal causes:- Peripheral vascular diseases, Hip osteo arthritis, Peripheral nerve lesion like neuropathy and herpes zoster.

·         Referred pain – of renal calculi, renal tumors, renal tuberculosis, pancreas tumor, diseases related to female genital organs.

·         Surgical causes like Lumbar puncture.

·         Prolaps of inter vertebral disc ( IVDP)

·         Gynaecological conditions like premenustral syndrome, fibroid uterus, PCOS Etc…

·         Metastasis – cancer may spread to the bones like breast cancer, lung cancer and causes back pain.

·          Psychological factors: Some factors like anxiety, depression, lack of inner peace, death of a loved one, etc. contribute to back pain.

·          Obesity: Back pain increases in overweight and obese patients.

Sing and symptoms related to back ache

·         Pain that develops gradually and slowly gets worse and worse over days or weeks.

·         Constant back pain that is not eased by lying down or resting.

·         Pain that travels to the chest, or is higher in the back behind the chest.

·         Extension of the pain may occur to the other parts of the body especially to the buttocks, back of thigh, calf muscles.

Inflammatory (Arthritic) Symptoms:- 

·         Morning stiffness

·         Constitutional symptoms like fever, redness and pain.

·         Pain worse at night

Diagnosis 

·         History should be taken to know any triggering factors like fall and trauma.

·         Physical examination should be done :- giant, Posture and extension of pain etc

·         Blood routine:- CBC(complete blood count) to rule out the infection.  Blood culture.

·         X-ray spine To detect Disc prolapse

·         CT Scan and MRI to find out nerve compression and other neuropathies.

·         SLR( Straight Leg Rise ) :-   To evaluate disc herniation. Positive SLR is defined as pain in the posterior leg that radiates below the knee with the hip flexed 60⁰ or less and the patient lying supine and is suggestive of disc herniation.

Management of backache

Making small changes to your lifestyle can reduce your risk of back pain.

If you smoke, stop. It puts you at increased risk for back problems since your blood has trouble delivering oxygen to working tissues, making your back weaker.

Prevention & precautions 

·         Always stretch before exercise or other strenuous physical activity.   Don’t slouch when standing or sitting. When standing, keep your weight balanced on your feet. Your back supports weight most easily when curvature is reduced.  

·         At home or work, make sure your work surface is at a comfortable height for you.

·         Sit in a chair with good lumbar support and proper position and height for the task. Keep your shoulders back. Switch sitting positions often and periodically walk around the office or gently stretch muscles to relieve tension. A pillow or rolled-up towel placed behind the small of your back can provide some lumbar support. If you must sit for a long period of time, rest your feet on a low stool or a stack of books.

·         Wear comfortable, low-heeled shoes.

·         Sleep on your side to reduce any curve in your spine. Always sleep on a firm surface.

·         Ask for help when transferring an ill or injured family member from a reclining to a sitting position or when moving the patient from a chair to a bed.

·         Don’t try to lift objects too heavy for you. Lift with your knees, pull in your stomach muscles, and keep your head down and in line with your straight back. Keep the object close to your body. Do not twist when lifting.

·         Maintain proper nutrition and diet to reduce and prevent excessive weight, especially weight around the waistline that taxes lower back muscles. A diet with sufficient daily intake of calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D helps to promote new bone growth.

·         If you smoke, quit. Smoking reduces blood flow to the lower spine and causes the spinal discs to degenerate

Bed rest versus exercise

          Doctors used to recommend long periods of rest for people with backache, but research has shown this is actually bad for backs. Even crawling around on your hands and knees is better than no movement at all.

Some kinds of exercise, such as walking, don't put too much stress on your back. It's a good idea to make a start on them even if your back is a bit sore, just to get your joints moving and your heart and lungs working.

Use a firm chair when sitting down, or sit on the floor rather than a sofa that’s too soft. Similarly, make sure your bed is firm enough.

Homeopathy for Backache

          Homeopathy gives better results in Chronic as well as acute back aches. There are many homeopathic remedies for back ache. Patient should consult a classical homeopath to start treatment. Homeopathy considers the patient as whole just not the disease. To prescribe a remedy a homeopath need the complete history of the disease and the patient as well.

Most commonly prescribed homeopathic medicines for back ache are

Bryonia,                 Rhus tox,

cimicifuga,             Arnica,

nux vomica,         calc carb,

lycopodium,        Hypericum,

calc phos,             Kali carb,

Sulphur ,            ruta &     Sepia etc

For detailed description of these medicines <<CLICK HERE >>

Source:-

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/backpain/detail_backpain.htm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/health

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Back_pain

Frymoyer  JD.  Back pain and sciatica.  N Engl J Med.  1988;318:291–300.