My Back Hurts! |
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Oh My (Acute) Aching Back! |
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Back pain is one of the most common complaints, as the back bears most of the burden of supporting our weight during our activities throughout the day, and lower back pain is the most common of back pain complaints. Acute back pain can come from direct trauma to the back or can be caused by problems in other parts of the body where the pain radiates to the back. Starting with trauma, any direct fall on the back or blow to the back needs to be evaluated to rule out any fracture to the bones of the spine. Any form of spinal trauma is potentially a very serious condition, although many types of fractures in the lower back/spine can heal on their own without permanent damage.
Another form of acute back pain comes from a herniated disk. Often times, pain in the same area of a milder nature has been present intermittently in the past. This is usually the result of a bulging disk. Something as simple as a sneeze can convert a mildly bulging disk to either a severely bulging or ruptured disk, causing acute pain due to the disk compressing the surrounding nerves, and due to muscle spasm and stiffness. Sciatic nerve pain (or ?sciatica?) is of a similar nature ? it can be acute and severe, it usually starts at the top of the buttock, is usually on only one side, and travels down the buttock and the back of the thigh. The pressure on the sciatic nerve can cause pain, numbness, tingling and weakness and can cause ?buckling? of the leg with weight. These types of back pain are usually treated conservatively ? rest, anti-inflammatory medication, muscle relaxants, pain medication, and in some cases, physical therapy. The severity of the pain will determine whether or not it can be handled at home using these measures. If you experience numbness or tingling that is ongoing, inability to control bowel or bladder, or limb weakness, you should seek immediate medical evaluation. Other types of problems that can cause back pain are kidney problems such as kidney stones or kidney infections, gall bladder or pancreas problems, ulcer pain, and pain from an expanding or ruptured aortic aneurysm. Kidney problems are usually accompanied by urinary symptoms such as difficulty urinating, blood in the urine, or a burning sensation with urination. Gallbladder, pancreas, and ulcer pain are usually accompanied by abdominal pain that travels to the back. Aortic aneurysm pain is a sudden and serious condition ? if you have a known aortic aneurysm and are experiencing back pain, proceed for medical evaluation immediately. WHO CAN HELP? An orthopedist or rheumatologist can evaluate and treat back pain and refer to other professionals / practitioners as appropriate. A nephrologist is appropriate for kidney involvement and a gastroenterologist is appropriate for gallbladder, pancreas or ulcer involvement. If you?re not sure which provider to see, an internist, family practitioner or general practitioner can be a place to start and he/she can refer to other specialists and professionals as needed. |
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