Mind Your Self : NI Top 5's : Top 5 days off work

Back pain

What is back pain?
Back Pain is one of the commonest disabilities around and is responsible for thousands of days off work and is a real misery maker. If you have never had it, you won’t understand how awkward it is. If you do get it, you’ll be especially sympathetic to someone struggling to get out of their car because of it!

• Back pain is difficult to cure.

Are there different types of back pain?
Yes. Doctors look on back pain as belonging to one of three groups:

• simple back pain (simple meaning not dangerous, not meaning isn't sore!)
• pain with nerve irritation (used to be sciatica)
• dangerous pain

Simple back pain is the most common, but can be truly agonizing. It can leave you stuck in awkward places too, like up in the roofspace, or under your car… Simple back pain doesn’t spread around or go down your leg, and it gets better of its own accord in few days.

Back pain with nerve irritation includes pain going down your leg. The leg pain can be worse than the back pain, no matter how much you rub it.

Dangerous back pain covers pain caused by broken, crushed or cancerous bones and some complicated types of arthritis.

How can I cure back pain?
Back pain is difficult to cure. This is partly because it has no one particular cause, and partly because the back and spinal cord are so complex that it is often impossible to find the one tiny spot that is causing trouble. The basic principles are

• keep as mobile as you can, even if it hurts
• try to avoid medication, though sometimes you can’t
• don’t do anything to worsen it – like moving furniture

If you have pain into your leg, and especially if your flow of urine is affected or you develop incontinence (soiling yourself), tell your doctor.

Doesn’t any treatment work? What about physiotherapists, osteopaths, chiropractors and the like?
If the pain hasn’t eased at all in three days, then some manipulation treatment may help. But tests show that three months after treatment, there is no difference in results between all the treatments.

You can reduce pain by ensuring your back is strong and supple, so

• lose any extra weight
• reduce stress, anxiety and tension
• sleep on a firm, comfortable mattress
• do strengthening exercises for your back and stomach muscles
• improve your body posture - and practise the Alexander technique
• lift and handle objects properly - avoiding sudden movements or muscle strain
• sit in seats that support your spine, with your feet flat on the floor or on a foot rest
• take regular exercise - walking, swimming and yoga are especially good for your back

Where can I learn more?
If you need some good background information and advice on managing backpain, check out BBC Health
http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/conditions/back_pain/

Another good site is http://www.backcare.org.uk