Roughly eight out of 10 people will suffer significant back pain at least once in their lifetime — but there are ways to reduce the risk, said Dr. Mark Knaub of Penn State Hershey Medical Center.
Muscle, ligament or tendon strains (soft tissue injuries) are the most common causes of back pain. These injuries can occur from falls or activities involving lifting, twisting or bending, said Knaub, chief of the medical center’s adult orthopedic spine service.
When pain strikes, you can ease it with anti-inflammatory drugs and muscle relaxants. And physical therapy can reduce the risk of back pain becoming chronic, he suggested.
“In the intermediate to long term, it can strengthen the core muscles that support the spine, and that could decrease the likelihood of having another episode in the future,” he added.
It’s not always possible to prevent back pain, but certain things can reduce your risk. These include regular exercise (especially workouts that strengthen the core muscles), maintaining a healthy weight, and avoiding tobacco products, Knaub said.
People in jobs that subject them to vibrations — such as truck drivers and heavy machine operators — are at increased risk for back pain. So are people with mental health disorders, such as depression, he noted.
“When people have chronic back problems, there is a large psychological component to it. Being depressed causes pain, and being in pain makes you depressed,” Knaub said.
Some studies have found that cognitive behavioral therapy — a type of talk therapy — can work as well as traditional medical treatments for that type of back pain, he suggested.
“If you lack coping mechanisms and don’t handle the pain and stress well, that can feed into your anxiety,” Knaub said.
News stories are written and provided by HealthDay and do not reflect federal policy, the views of MedlinePlus, the National Library of Medicine, the National Institutes of Health, or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Sourced From: Forward-Thinking Tips for Back Pain
Copy Rights: MedlinePlus: Back Pain
For more information, feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900
By Dr. Alex Jimenez El Paso Chiropractor and Back Specialist
Professional Scope of Practice *
The information herein on "Forward -Thinking For Back Pain" is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional, or licensed physician, and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make your own healthcare decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified healthcare professional.
Blog Information & Scope Discussions
Our information scope is limited to Chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, contributing etiological viscerosomatic disturbances within clinical presentations, associated somatovisceral reflex clinical dynamics, subluxation complexes, sensitive health issues, and/or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions.
We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from a wide array of disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system.
Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and support, directly or indirectly, our clinical scope of practice.*
Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.
We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez DC or contact us at 915-850-0900.
We are here to help you and your family.
Blessings
Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*
email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com
Licensed in: Texas & New Mexico*
Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, CIFM*, IFMCP*, ATN*, CCST
My Digital Business Card
With the summer approaching, the day's heat makes the body want to eat light or… Read More
Introduction Misalignment of the spine can occur due to various factors, causing stress and joint… Read More
A pinched, compressed, overly stretched, twisted, and entangled nerve can happen throughout the body. The… Read More
Introduction Many people experience pain daily at some point in their lives. The causes of… Read More
Automobile accidents and collisions can cause knee and ankle injuries in various ways. Automobile crashes… Read More
Introduction The human body has muscles surrounding and protecting the spine to prevent pain and disability. The… Read More