Your Health Matters
By Claudia Parks, R.N.

Back Pain: In any given group of folks over the age of 25, at some time in their lives 85 percent have had attacks of back pain severe enough to interfere with their activities. Although pain can develop anywhere along the spinal column, the neck (cervical) and low-back (lumbar) areas are most commonly affected.

Some backaches are easily remedied through life style modifications such as losing weight, improving posture, exercising regularly, or sleeping on a "non-sagging" mattress. Others are usually more complex, warranting medical treatment.

Muscle and ligament problems: Muscle injury and misuse are perhaps the most common causes of back pain. A strain, also called a pulled muscle, involves overextending a muscle and tearing some of its fibers. Lifting heavy objects, exercising too strenuously, or maintaining poor posture at work can all lead to muscle strains. In a sprain, a joint is wrenched beyond its normal range of motion, tearing the ligament that holds it in position. The same movements that cause strains can also lead to sprains, but sprains are usually more painful. Obesity also strains the back muscles, since the spine must support excess abdominal weight. In addition, intense psychological stress can cause muscles to go into spasm.

Osteoporosis: A sudden upper backache in a woman over 60 may indicate the presence of osteoporosis, a condition marked by loss of bone strength. Osteoporosis also entails a gradual shrinking in height, chronic pain, and development of a stooped posture.

Infection: If back pain occurs in conjunction with fever and painful urination, the source may be some type of infection. Although a severe bout of influenza can cause such discomfort, it is more likely to derive from direct inflammation of the kidney or bladder.

Gynecological problems: A wide variety of gynecological problems, ranging in severity from minor to serious, can cause lower back pain. Many women who suffer menstrual cramps and premenstrual syndrome complain of back pain before and during their periods, but this discomfort can usually be alleviated with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory medications such as ibuprofen. At the other end of the spectrum, structural problems in the female reproductive tract can lead to back pain, as can endometriosis and a tilted uterus.

In males, especially over the age of 50, an enlarged prostate gland may cause a nagging backache.

Arthritis: If back pain is worse in the morning, and if it occurs in conjunction with pain in other joints such as the hands, elbows, hips, knees, or ankles, it probably stems from some type of arthritis. In people over the age of 60, the problem is apt to be osteoarthritis, which is caused by deterioration of the joints. In young to middle-aged adults, one of the inflammatory types of arthritis may be the culprit.

Disk problems: Disks are spongy pads of cartilage that separate the vertebrae, or individual segments of the backbone. If these disks degenerate or slip out of their normal place and press on a nerve, you may experience sudden, sharp pain in your lower back and down your leg. Disk problems can also cause persistent, disabling back pain.

Before resorting to surgery, most people with spinal disk problems are advised to try 6 weeks to 3 months of noninvasive treatments, including physical therapy, rest, and a combination of analgesic and musclerelaxant drugs. In 75 percent of cases, these treatments reduce pain significantly enough for normal function to return.

If you are a smoker, try to give it up! Your body may not be able to get enough nutrients to the discs in your back if you smoke. Smoker's cough may also cause back pain. People who smoke are slow to heal, so back pain may last longer.

To diagnose back pain, your doctor will usually take your medical history and do a physical exam and may order tests, such as: X rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT) scan, blood and urine test. Continued Pain will usually coerce you to see your doctor.

Claudia Parks, RN is a former doctor's office and emergency room nurse and retired as an educator from Fulton County Schools. She writes Your Health Matters as a public service; the information here is designed to help you make informed choices about your health. It is not intended as a substitute for the advice of your physician. Claudia and her husband make their home in the beautiful north Georgia Mountains. Claudia can be reached at yhm@windstream. net