What You Need to Know About Back Pain in Tullahoma

There’s no question that our backs play an important role in our body’s ability to function and move around in Tullahoma. The spine, together with our back muscles, anchor our other body parts and extremities, such as the hips, buttocks, neck, shoulders, and chest.

Our backs constantly absorb stress due to the myriad of activities that we perform in our daily lives. While it is built to be sturdy and solid, it is still susceptible to pain and discomfort.

And true enough, back pain is one of the most prevalent health conditions today. Experts estimate that up to 80% of the population experience this discomfort at some point in their lives. It’s not surprising, then, that back pain is also responsible for more than 264 million lost workdays in a year.

While some back pain only lasts a few hours or minutes, prolonged and constant pain can build up over the years and lead to further, more permanent damage or disability. It may even be a symptom of an underlying illness, which if left untreated, may worsen.

Given the importance of our backs to our individual well-being, and the greater implications of that on public health, it’s of paramount importance that we educate ourselves. In this blog, we’ll be diving deep into everything you need to know about back pain and how it can be treated!

About Back Pain in Tullahoma

To further understand the severity of back pain, let’s first have a quick overview of what it is.

The human back is made of a complex system of muscles, ligaments, tendons, disks, and bones. And these parts all come together to help stabilize the body.

Discomfort may occur when there is any damage to one or more of these components, whether in the area itself or because of the resulting strain it puts on other parts of the back. The lower back and hip areas, which include the lower lumbar, lumbosacral, and sacroiliac regions, are particularly vulnerable to back pain.

What Are the Symptoms?

Given the complex structure of the human back and the many functions of each component, back pain can have varied symptoms, which include:

• Dull, painful sensation in the lower back
• Stabbing pain that can stretch down the lower extremities
• Inability to stand straight without discomfort
• Decreased range of motion
• Difficulty flexing the back

In some cases, however, back pain symptoms can also indicate a severe underlying health condition, so it's crucial to immediately seek medical help if any of the following symptoms are present alongside your back pain:

• Loss of bowel or bladder control
• Numbing or tingling sensation in one or both legs
• Back pain caused by a trauma injury (e.g. fall or blow to back)
• Severe pain that continuously worsens at night
• Fever
• Pain with an aching sensation in the abdomen

It’s important to note that although back pain symptoms usually only last for a short amount of time, they can go on for days or even weeks. And if the symptoms persist longer than 3 months, the pain can be classified as chronic.

A good rule of thumb is to see a health practitioner if the pain remains and doesn’t improve within the first 2 weeks of developing symptoms.

What Causes Back Pain?

Back pain can be caused by various factors that most commonly stem from strains, structural problems, poor posture, and other medical conditions. These can include:

• Overuse of the back
• Back muscle strains
• Injuries & fractures
• Damaged disks
• Sciatica
• Arthritis
• Osteoporosis
• Kidney infections
• Twisting
• Overstretching
• Sleeping on a poor quality mattress

The risk of developing back pain usually increases with age because the body naturally accumulates wear and tear as we grow older. For some people, their back pain can be attributed to living a sedentary lifestyle or to unhealthy habits like smoking. Other common risk factors for back pain can also include:

• Workplace hazards/activities
• Poor physical fitness
• Obesity
• Strenuous physical work or exercise
• Genetic factors
• Underlying health conditions (e.g. arthritis, cancer)

Diagnosing Back Pain

To determine the underlying cause of back pain symptoms, health practitioners usually prescribe a comprehensive physical exam that tests the patient’s ability to perform certain actions like standing and walking.

In addition, the physical exam also tests the patient’s reflexes, leg strength, ability to feel sensations in the legs, and their spine’s range of motion.

However, when it comes to severe back pain conditions, further tests may be prescribed, such as:

• Blood tests
• Urine tests
• Spinal X-rays
• CT scans
• MRI scans
• Bone scans
• Electromyography (EMG)

Common Treatments for Back Pain

The most common lineup of treatments for addressing back pain normally includes prescribed medication like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), cortisone injections, or physical therapy.

And when the condition inevitably becomes worse, health practitioners often resort to prescribing surgery.

While these treatments can provide some relief, they don’t actually promote long-term healing and recovery or restore range of motion. In fact, they can put back pain patients at risk for further health complications, especially since the back houses the spinal cord.

Our Back Pain Treatment

At Tullahoma Chiropractic and Medical Center, we want our patients to live free from back pain and get their life back just as much as they do.

And because we understand the risks that the aforementioned treatments can pose, we address back pain problems by using only the most innovative, non-invasive, and non-surgical treatment solutions and tools to stimulate long-term healing!

If you wish to learn more about them, click here.

And if you’re ready to leave your back pain forever and get back to living a healthy lifestyle, go ahead and request an appointment here.

Resources:

• https://handsdownbetter.org/health-and-wellness/back-pain-facts-and-statistics/
• https://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/back+pain
• https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/172943#causes
• https://www.healthline.com/health/back-pain#symptoms
• https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/back-pain/symptoms-causes/syc-20369906
• https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/11L8RMkRMEQocJv89H8mp1D4-wAo5OhAu/edit#slide=id.p38
• https://www.tullahomachiropracticcenter.com/