Physiotherapy: Identifying Back Pain

The spine is one of the most important parts of your body. Without it, you could not keep yourself upright or even stand up. It gives your body structure and support. It allows you to move about freely and to bend with flexibility. The spine is also designed to protect your spinal cord. The spinal cord is a column of nerves that connects your brain with the rest of your body, allowing you to control your movements. Without a spinal cord, you could not move any part of your body, and your organs could not function. This is why keeping your spine healthy is vital if you want to live an active life.

'Low back pain' is second only to the common cold as a cause of lost days at work. It is also one of the most common reasons to visit a doctor's office or a hospital's emergency department.

Acute and chronic back pain

Back pain, whether it's lower back pain or pain in other parts of the back, can affect anyone at any age, although people are most likely to get it between the ages of 35 and 55.

If the pain lasts for less than three months, it's called acute back pain. Acute refers to how long it's lasted for rather than how severe it is. If the problem goes on for longer, it's known as chronic back pain.

Types of Back Pain

The most common types of back pain are:

Lumbar pain:

Lumbar, or lower back pain, is typically located at and above the waist in the middle of the back or spine. The pain can be directly linked to prolonged stretches or sitting, standing, or lifting.

Sciatica:

Sciatica refers to sharp, stabbing pain that starts in the buttock and travels down the leg. It can often include numbness, "pins and needles", and/or even weakness of the leg. Sciatica is one of the most common forms of pain caused by compression of the spinal nerves, and the leg pain often feels much worse than the back pain. Sciatica is actually a symptom and not a diagnosis. While the most common cause of sciatica is a herniated (or "slipped") disc, many other conditions can cause this type of pain.

Other causes of back pain

In rare cases, there may be a more serious underlying cause of back pain, such as an problem with the spine, an infection or collapse of the vertebrae, tuberculosis or cancer.

These are more likely to be the case if your back pain starts gradually, gets worse over time and seems unrelated to your level of activity.

When to see a doctor about back pain

Most simple back pain only lasts a few days and gets better on its own. You should see a doctor as soon as possible if, as well as back pain, you have:

• fever
• redness or swelling on your back
• pain down your legs and below your knees
• numbness or weakness in one or both legs or around your anus
• loss of bladder or bowel control

You should also see your doctor about back pain if:

• pain is the result of an injury
• pain lasts for more than a few days in someone aged under 20 or over 55
• you have had cancer in any part of your body
• you have HIV/AIDS
• you have been prescribed steroid medicines for more than a few months