[Image Credit; Pixabay Commons]
Spinal column of the human, vertebrates in general is the series of vertebrae which extends from the skull to the tail (tails are not visible in human but we have tails like other animals), acting like protecting case for the spinal cord and a support for the thorax and the abdomen, which makes the Backbone (spine) takes a whole lot of riding because it is the body’s main support structure.
For as much stress that is applied on the spine, 60% of the pains in the back occur in the Lower Back which is also called Lumbago. Pains in the backbone majorly occur as a result of a high mechanical stress i.e. fatal accident leading to fractures, inflammations of the disc, tendons, muscles, and ligaments that supports the vertebral column.
Lower Back Pain (LBP) or Lumbago is the medical term for back pains, usually emanating from the lower side of the spine which is not a strange condition. At least, four out of ten adults suffer from this in a month and annually the figure rises about 10 million cases worldwide. However, not all back pain is terminal, that is they don’t pose threat to life, but the pain could be unbearable if it persist for so long, irrespective of the number of Chiropractors in some extreme cases, the numbers of diagnosis, back pains could end up treated surgically no matter how common it is in people just like individuals who suffer regularly from mild headaches or migraines.
A LITTLE THROWBACK OF MY BACK PAIN HISTORY
Like several young boys, I was active in sports and outdoor events. My first year in High school was super adventurous, I entered a contest one day to jump from an elevated balcony about 5feet high without bending my knees and waist. I did win that contest but with a sharp pain around my waist and on my spine. How the pain left me I couldn’t remember but I dare not tell my late mom what had actually caused it. Fast forward to Boxing Day 2017, I had an accident at a recreational park, falling of a giant swing. Not because I was careless but because of safety negligence on the part of the Park, I landed on my back doubled up with my head hitting my knee caps as hard as I landed on the sandy ground.
For a few months, eighteen weeks to be précised, I was on therapeutic drugs to treat my inflamed spine which I was afraid broken at first till the therapist examined me. The pain was severe because the height of my fall to the ground was high.
July 2018, the long-gone pain starts to come back. I started feeling it at the gym during my work out session, then it became worse, then I had to visit the therapist again. This time, the pains came back as a result of my slouching (awkward sitting position) at my work desk at home, long hours of working from home and studying for a professional exam. My fears came back until the therapist explained it was an inflammation due to my sitting posture and some minerals lacking in my feeding. Though I still have fears about my back history, if it is not actually hurting me but I made some research and this prompted my write up today. Before going further, let me explain some tiny information about the Backbone, the neural spine.
THE SPINE ANATOMY
[Image Credit; Pixabay Commons]
If you are experiencing Lumbago, it is not your backbone that hurts. Latest discovery pointed out that there are tiny little muscles in the lower back and these muscles if too dormant or exercise properly causes the non-stop or periodic back pains. Some of these pains go away after the dormant muscles are stretched, and that is where Chiropractic comes in.
The bones, cartilages, tendons, muscles, ligaments, and tissues need proper feeding just like the whole body needs good nutrition. When the proper amount of minerals like calcium, potassium and several others are present in the body, the musculoskeletal system which includes the spine functions well and heals faster from wear and tear due to stresses placed upon it by our everyday activities.
Furthermore, the pains in the back could be soreness and stiffness, these are “non-specific” musculoskeletal pains, it hurts so badly and as much as one-third of the adult population experience this without high mechanical stress on the backbone. One of the therapeutic measures for back pains is an alternative to medical treatments known as Chiropractic.
COMMON CAUSES OF BACK PAIN AND ITS ALTERNATE MEDICAL TREATEMENT
Chiropractors are health care professionals that are seasoned in alternate medical ways to diagnose and treat these disorders caused mechanically and which affects the musculoskeletal system which the human spine is a major aspect. A mechanical disorder like mine which includes falling on my back, slouching which is an awkward sitting position which also affects the back.
[Image Credit; Pixabay Commons]
Chiropractic mainly involve manual physical therapy, after the history of patients have been examined and taken into considerations, this is a profession that also involves medical fundamentals but different from Neurosurgeons and other doctors in the medical field.
The more severe mechanical stress includes fatal accidents that result in fracturing the backbone. Other common disorders in the vertebral column could be as a result of the following;
- Bad Postures.
- Wearing high heels excessively.
- Poor Nutrition.
- Slouching at your desk.
- Discs, Ligaments or muscles inflammations.
- Lack of Regular Exercise.
- Muscles at the lower back.
- Poor good resting time.
- Lastly, early degeneration as a result of excessive forces placed on the back due to all of the above-listed causes.
Overweight individuals are more at risk of back pain, people who live on steroids usually fall victims and smokers with depressed individuals who do nothing all day are all prone to victims, so also are pregnant women but with regular pre-natal exercises, this should not be a problem.
Although pains in the lower back could be severe pain from accidents affecting the vertebral column which is completely different from the LBP common to an average adult, bottom-line is that; both forms of pains could be treated and before been diagnosed and treated, it could make a living hell for victims like me. Read along as I explained some of its effects below.
EEFECTS OF BACK PAIN
- When the back hurts, the pain is physical and psychological which brings the fear of a dwindling health.
- The structural integrity of the spine is in doubt hence causing pressure on sensitive neurological tissues.
- It could make a victim go bankrupt when in search of permanent solutions.
- Nervous system could become imbalance once the structural and biomedical system of the spine is in derangement.
- As much as it has a significant effect on health, it also has a huge impact on daily performance.
MYTHS SURROUNDING BACK PAIN
Not all back pains are really from the back, several abdominal issues could result in back pain as well. However, in these rare cases, there are added symptoms suggesting causes to underlying causes of the pain. One of those cases includes;
- Pancreatitis
- Kidney Stones
- Duodenal ulcers etc.
Therefore, once there is no presence of dangerous pressure on the spinal cord and no common causes aforementioned, then it could be a severe one, especially if you cannot move or stand, if you could not feel your anus or genitals, maybe a victim could not pass urine or maybe as a man there seize to be erections due to the severe back pain. In these mentioned cases, calling an emergency number or an ambulance as soon as possible is the way out.
NO BEST THERAPY
Emergency surgery may be required in some cases as well as strong painkillers, acupuncture and maybe injections. Response to treatment per patients depends on the anatomy of the victim.
Furthermore, Chiropractic, Physiotherapy, Osteopathy are all good options to combat back pain, these manual therapies all seems to work as approved by The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Thanks for reading.
REFERENCES
- Everything you ever wanted to ask about Back Pain but were afraid to ask
- Causes of back pain
- Chiropractic Care for Back Pain
- Are Chiropractors Doctors?
- Anatomy of the human spine
