From backs to shoulders, knees to necks, 125 million people are in pain, and they spend some $300 billion on pills, pot, procedures and natural “cures” to find relief.
How the body heals itself
Pain isn’t something to simply get rid of; it’s your body’s way of telling you that something is wrong, often a strong signal to stop what you’re doing and correct course.
Beyond the immediate warning, pain triggers a cascade of responses from within. Inflammation at the point of injury alerts the body’s immune system to get to work on healing.
Other chemicals are then notified and rush in to ward off infection, devour dead cells and tissue and keep inflammation in check.
For most aches or injuries, pain goes away with treatment and time.
When it doesn’t, the situation can get tricky. Doctors may find themselves at a loss, and patients can get caught in a cycle of treatments or succumb to the promise of unproven remedies.
Others may handle it with a long-term prescription.
Dealing with the pain
You’ve got pain in the lumbar region, the area spanning the middle of your back to your tailbone. It ranges from a dull, constant ache to a sudden, sharp pain.
About 80 percent of adults suffer from lower back pain at some point, and it affects more women than men.
What causes back pain? It can stem from an injury, such as muscle strain from lifting a heavy object. Or it can be caused by wear and tear on the joints, disks and ligaments that hold the spine in place.
Chronic back pain often arises from disks that have degenerated. That can result in “slipped” (or herniated) disks that can bulge and press on nerves.
Sometimes, slipped disks allow the spine’s bones (vertebrae), which are otherwise normally supported in place by the disks, to slide on top of each other and also irritate nerves.
Osteoporosis (a condition that causes weak and brittle bones) can cause compression fractures that can also lead to lower back pain.
If your back doesn’t get better, see a doctor. The pain could be a symptom of an underlying condition, such as arthritis, fibromyalgia or osteoporosis.
If that’s not the case, your doctor may recommend a hands-on treatment, such as chiropractic, massage or physical therapy.
Get to an emergency room if you experience weakness or sudden urinary or bowel incontinence, or if pain is so severe that you can’t drive or use stairs. Seek care immediately for your current back pain if you’ve had a previous back injury, a severe fall or cancer.
Bed rest should be avoided; it can prolong recovery. Also skip back-support braces and patches, balms and creams such as Bengay or Icy Hot; they haven’t been shown to help.
Consider back surgery only if your pain is clearly linked to a herniated disk or spinal stenosis (the narrowing of the spinal column) that hasn’t improved with other treatment after several months.
Also:
- Avoid any exercise that causes you to stretch your back to the point of discomfort.
- Bend at the knees when lifting a heavy object, and keep it close to your body with your knees slightly bent as you hold it.
- Practice good posture: Don’t slump when you sit, and use the muscles in your shoulders and abdomen to maintain your spine in a neutral position.
- Do exercises to strengthen the core muscles supporting your spine, as well as your abdominal, back and hip muscles.
— Consumers Union Inc.
Visit Consumer Reports at ConsumerReports.org.
Olympic Spa 