|
Lower
Back Pain a Familiar Ache
Excerpt
By Lisa Girard,
HealthScoutNews
The next time you walk into a room rubbing
your sore lower back, take a look at the people around you: More
than a third of them are probably suffering the same fate.
A new survey by the American Academy
of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation found that more than 100
million adult Americans experience some degree of lower back pain,
and more than half of those folks say the pain interferes with
their daily activities.
Yet here's an interesting twist:
Of those who complained of back problems, only a small percentage
said they have gone to a medical doctor for help. And, while almost
half of those surveyed believe surgery is the only answer to their
problem, the academy's experts say surgery is only needed in about
5 percent of the cases.
"The majority of back problems
will be resolved with some simple treatments, or, in some cases,
more advanced treatments," explains Dr. Joel Press, secretary
of the academy and a physiatrist at the Center for Spine, Sports
and Occupational Rehabilitation, a division of the Rehabilitation
Institute of Chicago.
"Sometimes surgery becomes
the only option, but fortunately that's only in a small number
of cases," he adds.
Most lower back problems can be
handled with over-the-counter pain medication, a few days of heat
or ice application, and simple exercises, Press says. It's only
if these measures fail that you should seek the help of a medical
professional, preferably a physiatrist, he says.
A physiatrist is a medical doctor
who specializes in diagnosing and treating acute and chronic pain
conditions. Physiatrists use non-surgical treatments and routinely
prescribe therapeutic exercises to treat conditions such as lower
back pain, arthritis and osteoporosis, Press says.
When a person comes to see a physiatrist,
he or she is evaluated to find the cause of the pain, Press says.
This usually includes a medical history, a physical exam and/or
imaging tests. Then, the person is given a list of exercises and
activities designed to help him or her recover and avoid a recurrence
of the problem.
"Sometimes you have to tell
them to stop doing certain physical activities and instruct them
in certain mechanics," Press says. "It depends on the
person and their situation. If one treatment plan fit all, it
would be easy. But just like not everyone gets the same blood
pressure pill or heart pill, everyone needs a different treatment
plan."
According to the academy's survey,
which included 1,021 adults from around the United States, back
pain is a condition that crosses age boundaries, affecting as
many people in the 18-to-24 age group as the 55-and-up group.
The survey also showed that three
of four Americans are aware that regular exercise can help prevent
back pain and that an inactive lifestyle and a high stress level
can cause or contribute to chronic back pain. Other aggravating
factors can include traumatic injuries and age-related conditions
such as arthritis and degenerative disc disease.
"The majority of people we
see have acute pain problems and can be treated over a six- to
eight-week period. If it's a chronic problem the person has been
suffering with for years, it might take longer," Press says.
"The more acute the problem, the more quickly it can be resolved.
We try to make them independent in an exercise program as quickly
as possible."
Dr. Stanley Myers, a physiatrist
who serves as vice chairman of the Department of Rehabilitation
Medicine at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City,
agrees that the majority of Americans will experience back pain
at one time or another in their lives.
"Especially these days, when
there's such an emphasis on sports and fitness, you can injure
your back if you don't exercise properly," Myers says. "And
as you get older, you're more prone to develop osteoarthritis,
disc disease and other conditions."
Myers also agrees that most of
these problems can be addressed with an exercise program and that
surgery should be a last resort.
"Physical medicine and rehabilitation
has been board-certified since the late 1940s, but it is only
recently that more people have become aware of what we do,"
he says. "Studies are showing that non-surgical treatment
of back pain is effective. Under some circumstances, however,
surgery is indicated. That's where the 5 percent comes in."
More information
For more on back pain, try Spine
Health or the American
Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
Reference
Source 101
For more information on how to prevent other diseases, use
PreventDisease.com's "Quick
Prevention Resources".
|
