back pain

back pain

See Low back pain.

back pain

Pain felt in or along the spine or musculature of the posterior thorax. It is usually characterized by dull, continuous pain and tenderness in the muscles or their attachments in the lower lumbar, lumbosacral, or sacroiliac regions. Back pain is often referred to the leg or legs, following the distribution of the sciatic nerve.

Etiology

Common causes of back pain include pain caused by muscular or tendon strain, herniated intervertebral disk, lumbar spinal stenosis, or spondylolisthesis. Patients with a history of cancer may have back pain caused by metastatic tumors to the vertebrae and should be evaluated to be certain that damage to the spinal cord is not imminent. Patients with back pain and fever (esp. those with a history of injection drug use, tuberculosis, or recent back surgery) should be evaluated for epidural abscess or osteomyelitis.

Treatment

Depending on the underlying cause of the back pain, treatment may include drugs, rest, massage, physical therapy, chiropractic, stretching exercises, injection therapy, and surgery, among others. Most nonmalignant causes of back pain improve with a few days of rest, analgesics, and antiinflammatory drugs, followed by 2 to 4 weeks of anti-inflammatory treatment, appropriate muscle strengthening, and patience. Pain caused by an osteoporotic fracture may prove more debilitating and longer-lasting. Back pain produced by a spinal metastasis can improve with corticosteroids, radiation therapy, intravenous bisphosphonates, and/or surgical decompression. Patients with a spinal epidural abscess will need surgical drainage of the infection and antibiotics.

Patient care

Prolonged bedrest is inadvisable in most patients with back pain. The treatment regimen is explained, implemented, and reinforced. Factors that precipitate symptoms are identified and preventive actions are discussed.

See also: pain

back pain,

n a pain in the lumbar, lumbosacral, or cervical regions of the back, varying in sharpness and intensity. Causes may include muscle strain or pressure on the root of a nerve.

back

see also dorsum.

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back arched upwards

humped back posture as in subacute abdominal pain.

cold back

horse resents the saddle being placed in position and the girth tightened. May be due to pain in back or to disinclination to wear the saddle.

hollow back

the natural concave line of the backbone is exaggerated.

back muscle necrosis

is characterized by pain and swelling over the backs of pigs. The pigs are reluctant to move and there is arching or lateral flexion of the spine. Subsequently there is atrophy of the muscles. See also porcine stress syndrome.

back pain

pain expressed when pressure is applied to the back. Spondylosis, injury to dorsal spinous processes and muscle sprain are amongst the common causes. A special area of interest in the horse, because of its importance in restricting movement and causing abnormalities of gait.

back raking

manual removal of the feces from the rectum. Performed often in the preliminaries to pregnancy diagnosis in mares and cows. Carried out cosmetically in horses and especially elephants just before a circus or other performing act.

back Shu points

acupuncturese for association points along the back.

Patient discussion about back pain

Q. My son is complaining about back pain. I also see that his back isn't straight. What can we do? My son is a adorable 8 years old. He is complaining about back pain, that bothers him after he walks a little. I also saw that his back isn't straight and looks like a S. is this deformity connected to his back pain?

A. The normal shape of the spine is very similar to the "S" shape as you can see here
http://www.digitalartform.com/archives/images/spineTest1.jpg
But even if his back isn't deformated, he has back pain and you need to take care of that by going to your pediatrician.

Q. I want to know the treatments for back pain

A. well, tester1234, you are asking a very general question. back pain is a symptom. and the best way to get rid of a symptom is by eliminating the cause. back pain have many causes- not sitting right, posture problems, Spinal disc herniation, muscles not strong and long enough, kidney problems sometime feels like lower back problems. i had a problem with posture. so i went to Rolfing therapist- really helped.

Q. I have a lower back pain for more than 3 months what should I do? I am a 55 years old man, and i work as a truck-driver. In the last 3 months i have a back ache that is disturbing my life. Its really annoying me. When I wake up I am usually fine, but after 10 minutes of driving the pain starts and it doesn't stop till I go back to bed. What can I do? my GP told me to take Tylenol, but it's just not helping.

A. A constant low back pain can be a result of a lot of things. A friend of mine (63 years old) had a back pain and she didn't pay enough attention to it assuming its just nothing. In the end it was due to metastatic lung cancer.
here you can see the major "Red Flags" that encourage you take an extra appointment with your GP
http://www.medinfo.co.uk/conditions/lowbackpain.html