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Are you one of the hundreds of thousands of Americans who experience back pain?  If so, here are some helpful tips for you to use in assessing the cause of your pain and figuring out when you should see someone about it.

Our spine is a series of bones stacked on top each other called vertebrae.  There are more than 30 vertebrae that make up our spines.  We have a combination of muscles, tendons and ligaments along our spine that help to support it and hold the bones in place.  We also have cushions between these bones called discs. These discs are designed to absorb the shock of walking, the pressure of sitting and other movements we all do in our daily lives.  All these components work together and when one part is not able to perform its proper job, then it causes pain that is felt along areas or sometimes the entire back.

According to the American Pain Society, more than 85% of people with low back pain who seek care from their primary care providers have non-specific back pain.  The cause of pain is unknown and cannot be isolated to a specific disease or spinal condition.

While it can be hard to pinpoint the exact cause of back pain, there can be several likely causes.  Of these, the most commonly occurring cause of back pain is muscle strain and imbalances or nerve issues.

A muscle strain is caused by a sudden tear, pull, or twisting of a muscle.  These types of injuries are acute and result from stretching a muscle too far or over contraction of a muscle.  The symptoms of a strain are:  Pain, muscle spasms, and weakness.  Ligament sprains affect the ligaments of muscles and are stretch or tear injuries as well.  These injuries can be caused by a fall or forceful blow to an area that moves the surrounding joint out of its normal position.  The symptoms of sprains consist of: bruising, swelling, pain and unsteadiness of the affected area.

Strains and sprains can be caused by lifting something too heavy or improperly, sudden twisting of the back, reaching out too far or stretching too far away from your center of balance.

There are other disorders that can affect the whole body and contribute to back pain, such as Fibromyalgia.  Most people with this condition often complain of chronic back pain.  It is important to also be aware that back pain can be a result of some serious health problems such as spinal infections, tumors or kidney problems.

Many of our modern lifestyle factors also cause or worsen back pain:  Poor posture, obesity, chronic stress, sleeping on a mattress that does not support your body properly, improperly fitted shoes, as well as pregnancy.

When Should I See Someone About My Pain?

For most of us, back pain will resolve itself on its own with rest, heat and cold applications, and light use of general over the counter pain relief medications.  If your pain does not get better or worsens over the next week or so, it is time to seek professional care.  Don’t delay seeking care, hoping the pain will eventually go away.  If left untreated, back pain will cause you to change your posture and how you move your body.  This usually leads to even more complications and added muscle imbalance issues.

Massage therapy is a very effective, non-invasive tool to help alleviate your back pain.  Your Therapist is trained in evaluating the muscle tissue and finding tension, imbalances, and any trigger points that may have developed in the affected muscle(s). When you come in for an appointment, you may be taken through a posture analysis and/or muscle function tests to help determine if the source of your pain is muscular.  Massage is a great way to help reset an overly tense muscle and allow it to relax again.  By working out the tension and any trigger points in the tissue, the muscle can now receive the proper circulation allowing it to interpret the nerve signals the body is sending it and return it to its proper state and function.

An important thing to keep in mind is the fact of how long you have been experiencing your pain and the source of the pain.  If you have had this pain for a long time, just having one massage will not ‘fix’ your problem.  If you have had poor posture for years and now are experiencing chronic pain from a muscle imbalance, it will take time and patience to get the muscle tissues back to their healthy, natural function.  Even so, massage therapy is a great alternative to having a major surgery that could possibly be avoided or having to take drugs with dangerous side effects to mask the symptoms while ignoring the source of your pain.  By addressing the actual cause of your pain and educating you on how to prevent it in the future, massage is a very valuable tool to have in your healthcare arsenal.

You should seek the care of your primary healthcare provider however, if you are experiencing with any of the following:

Pain that extends down your leg past your knee

Pain that gets worse at night and interferes with your sleep

Unexplained weight loss

Recent fall, trauma, or accident

Weakness, numbness or tingling in legs

New bowel or bladder problems

Fever or bad headache

History of osteoporosis, cancer or recent infection

Pain in the chest or left arm

Pregnancy

You are over the age of 70

If you are being treated for a back pain issue, it is important that you always consult your doctor before starting or changing any current treatment.

Resource:  The American Pain Foundation

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