Some Facts About Back Pain Loveland Residents May Wish To Know

By Frank Burns


Back pain is a common symptom, particularly among individuals actively involved in manual and office work. It usually occurs as a result of putting strain to the spine over a long period of time. This symptom can be prevented by observing certain measures such as sitting properly in a comfortable chair for individuals who spend long hours at the office. The problem rarely occurs in children and the elderly and when it does happen, it should be thoroughly investigated to rule out any alarming conditions. If struggling with back pain Loveland residents should understand a number of things beforehand.

The back is made up of the spine, muscles together with nerves and ligaments. The lower region runs from the twelfth rib down to the crests of the pelvic bone. Discomfort can arise anywhere along the spine or the surrounding tissues. It is more common for one to complain of low back pain compared to pain of the upper back. As a matter of fact, if the upper region is affected, it us usually treated as a red flag. This means that since upper backache does not occur frequently, it is given more attention when it does occur.

Apart from muscle strain, other possible causes include infections, cancer or physical trauma. The doctor will take a detailed history in a bid to uncover the particular cause of symptoms.

In the history, they will need to know more about the symptom characteristics. Different features regarding the pain need to be established including the exact location, the severity, relieving factors, exacerbating factors and whether or not it is limited to one area or radiates to other areas. It is also important to establish the onset, duration and pattern. Your age and occupation will also need to be known as these can also give a clue on the possible causes.

Documentation of history begins with biodata which includes the full names of a patient, their age, where they live, what they do for a living, their marital status, among other relevant personal questions. Once this is out of the way, a good amount of time is needed to establish the characteristics of the main presenting complaint.

For pain, the patient needs to describe the onset, character, severity, and duration of the same. In addition, the site of the pain should be pointed out and whether the symptom is localized or can be felt even in distant areas. The patient should also be able to tell what activities make the symptoms worse and whether are any relieving factors.

Patients who report unintended weight loss could be suspected to have an underlying tumor. Other symptoms suggestive of cancer include night sweats, fatigue, positive family history and a long duration of symptoms. Road traffic accidents victims are likely to complain of acute backache if the spine was directly involved. With severe cases where the spinal cord is involved, there may be associated paralysis of limbs.

Primarily, the patient should be provided with analgesics to address their discomfort. Also, if the spine is suspected to be fractured, the patient should be immobilized appropriately to prevent further damage to surrounding tissues. Physiotherapy and pain medication is usually enough for pain that is solely due to muscle sprain. However, if there is another underlying cause, it should be sought and treated promptly to prevent complications.




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