Back pain: Causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment

Back pain is a common reason for seeking medical help and for absence from work. This type of pain can affect people of all ages and gender. Pain in the upper and lower back can result from activity, exercise, accident, injury, and some medical conditions. 

As people get older, the risk of back pain increases due to different factors like degenerative disk disease and arthritis.

Causes of back pain 

Our back is composed of a complex structure of bones, tendons, muscles, and ligaments. All these components work together to support the body and allow us to move around. Issues with any of these components can develop pain in the back.

Some different conditions and factors can contribute to developing back pain in Sammamish, WA. Common causes are given below:

• Injuries fracture or falls
• Muscle spasms
• Strained ligaments or muscles
• Damaged disks
• Sciatica
• Bulging disks
• Ruptured disks
• Poor sleeping and sitting posture
• Arthritis
• Osteoporosis
• Abnormal curvature of the spine
• Kinney issues
• Cancer of the spine
• Cauda equine syndrome
• Infection of the spine
• Sleep disorder
• Pelvic inflammatory disease     
• Shingles

  Activities that can lead to back pain   
  

• Making awkward movement
• Lifting heavy items
• Lifting something improperly
• Twisting
• Over-starching
• Sneezing or coughing
• Sitting or standing for a long time
• Bending awkwardly
• Sleeping on mattress   
  
  Symptoms of back pain
  Symptoms of back pain can vary from person to person. People with back pain may also experience the following:

• Inflammation or swelling on the back
• Mild to severe pain
• Sharp pain
• Pain down the legs
• Difficulty urinating
• Numbness around the anus, buttocks, and genitals
• Loss of control over bowel movement
• Difficulty to stand, walk and run
• Unable to manage body weight
• Stiffness
• Discomfort
• Muscle spasms
• Posture issues

  When to seek a medical help
  Usually, back pain disappears in 3-4 days. But if the pain doesn’t go away, it may be a sign of a major condition. Visit a therapist if you have:

• Bowel or bladder issues
• Fever
• Weight
• Pain or weakness in your legs or buttocks
• Tingling and numbness
• Severe pain or muscles spasms 
• A dull aching sensation
• A decreased range of motion
• Weakness
  
  Diagnosis
  When you visit a hospital or clinic, your doctor or physical therapists may test your:
• Leg strength
• Ability to detect sensations in your legs
• Ability to stand and walk
• Spine’s range of motion
• Reflexes

  If a serious issue is suspected, your healthcare expert may use:
  MRI or CT scan

• X-ray
• Electromyography
• Bone Scans
  
  Back pain Treatment
  Medication
  Many doctors prescribe Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Medications to get relief from back pain. Prescribed medicines can help you to relax your back muscle and prevent back spasms. Medication for back pain includes:

• Codeine
• Fentanyl
• Hydrocodone
• Hydromorphone
• Morphine
• Oxycodone
• Tramadol

  Muscle relaxants include:

• Carisoprodol
• Cyclobenzaprine
• Diazepam
• Methocarbamol
  
  Home treatments
  Hot and cold application
  If you are experiencing unmanageable pain in your back due to injury or other conditions, you can try this remedy at your home. You can apply cold applications such as ice packs to your affected area. It will help you to decrease blood circulation and relieve your pain, swelling, and discomfort.

  By applying heat application (hot bags) to your affected area, you can reduce the inflammation. It will also help you to promote natural healing by increasing blood circulation.

  Massage
  Massage can help you to relax your body and relieve muscle tension and stress. This home remedy will also help you ease your back pain in Sammamish, WA, by increasing blood circulation.

  Supportive therapy 
  Physical therapy can help you to get relief from your back pain and regain your active life. A trained physical therapist will work with you to improve your strength, balance, and abilities to do everyday tasks. They may use different hands-on techniques and therapeutic exercises to eliminate your back pain from the root.

  A trusted and experienced therapist can help you to achieve your fitness goal. Type the “physical therapy near me” keyword in the search engine to find the best therapist.

  Surgery
  Surgery is the last treatment option for back pain in Sammamish, WA. If all non-invasive treatments fail to offer relief, your doctor may recommend surgery. 

Examples of the surgical procedure include:

• Partially removing a vertebra:  
• Diskectomy
• Inserting artificial disk
• Fusion 
  
  Summary:   
  Avoiding back pain can affect your physical strength and ability to do everyday tasks. Considering a suitable treatment to relieve back pain in Sammamish, WA, can be the best option for you. Regular exercise and a balanced diet can help you to manage and prevent back pain.