Learning about back pain

Back pain is discussed in a variety of ways by doctors, but the type that affects the majority of individuals (about 85 percent) is known as “nonspecific low back pain.” This indicates that there is no obvious cause for the ongoing pain, such as a tumour, pinched nerve, infection, or cauda equina syndrome.

 

About 90% of the time, low back discomfort is transient (or “acute” in medical parlance) and goes away without much of a fuss in a few days or weeks. However, a small percentage of individuals go on to develop subacute (lasting four to 12 weeks) or chronic back pain (lasting 12 or more weeks).

The kind of chronic nonspecific back pain that the medical profession frequently does a poor job of addressing. The majority of the most often prescribed medical treatments for chronic nonspecific low back pain, including bed rest, spinal surgery, opiate pain relievers, and steroid injections, have been shown to be useless, and in some cases even dangerous.

According to Roger Chou, a back pain expert and professor at Oregon Health and Science University, “our best understanding of low back pain is that it is a complex, biopsychosocial condition, meaning that biological aspects like structural or anatomical causes play some role but psychological and social factors also play a big role.

For instance, when comparing individuals with the same MRI findings indicating the same back injury, such as bulging discs or facet joint arthritis, some may report having excruciating chronic pain while others claim to be pain-free. Additionally, those who experience stress, are predisposed to depression, anxiety, or catastrophizing, as well as those with a history of childhood trauma or low job satisfaction, tend to suffer more.

The general shift away from the dualist view of the mind and body toward the more integrated biopsychosocial model has led to a greater awareness of the role psychological factors play in how people perceive pain. In one evaluation of the exercise study, experts stated that chronic nonspecific low back pain “should not be treated as a homogeneous syndrome meaning all cases are identical.”

“Central sensitization” is a novel theory of pain that is also gaining popularity. The core tenet is that certain people who experience chronic pain experience changes in their bodies and brains that increase their sensitivity to pain, making even ordinary experiences seem agonising. That suggests that some people who have persistent low back pain may really have pain signals that aren’t operating properly.

 

Here some exercise can help to reduce the back pain

 

 

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