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Lower back pain

While it is possible to experience only a single episode of acute lower back pain, for most of us, it will reoccur. Fortunately however, there are several simple, effective treatment options available to help you manage your recovery.


Signs and symptoms of lower back pain:

Lower back pain can range from an ache to shooting pains or spasms. It may radiate down the front, side, or back of the leg, or be confined to the lower back.

You may also experience more unusual symptoms, including numbness, weakness, fever, difficulty passing urine, or pins and needles in the legs.

Lower back pain can be severe, particularly at the outset; but most people feel better after a few days or weeks. In less common occurrences, lower back pain can last for months at a time. The pain may feel worse with activity and may be worse at night or with prolonged sitting, such as on a long car trip.


Diagnosis:

It is often difficult to pin-point the cause of acute lower back pain. It is thought to be associated with muscles, ligaments or joints in the back. It is rarely due to any serious injury, disease or damage to the spine or bones and does not cause lasting damage.

Many of us have come to expect a scan or X-ray to diagnose their lower back pain, but in most cases, these are unnecessary. X-rays don’t give a clear picture of soft tissue (like muscles or ligaments) and won’t normally show the cause of lower back pain, while scans usually won’t reveal any information that changes your diagnosis or treatment, but expose you to unnecessary amounts of radiation in the meantime.


Treatment:

There are effective ways to relieve acute lower back pain including medicine and non-medicine treatments. Here are some options:

• Stay active: start with gentle activity
Being as active as soon as possible will speed your recovery. You may need to reduce activities for a couple of days, but contrary to popular belief, resting too long won’t help.

Keep moving. The sooner you start moving naturally again, the sooner your back is likely to start feeling better. Move about, stretch regularly and avoid staying in one position for more than 20 to 30 minutes at a time.
Start slowly. Try to move a little further or faster each day; slowly building activity levels to your normal day-to-day routine. Experiencing some pain when moving is normal, so take it slowly.

Return to work. Most people who experience acute lower back pain recover better if they return to work fairly quickly. This may mean returning before your back feels completely normal, so you may need to modify the way you work until you feel better. Speak to your employer or doctor before returning to work.

• Be positive: don’t allow the pain take over
Pain can make you tired, frustrated, sad, worried, angry, or generally low. You might not feel like staying active, but remember—moving around will improve your mood and help speed recovery.

It might also help you to bear in mind that although the pain may be severe, it’s likely to pass within a few days or weeks. Relaxation techniques and deep breathing exercises can also help you to stay calm and cope with the pain.

• Control the pain with a simple pain reliever
For many of us, an over-the-counter pain reliever can reduce pain sufficiently to allow us continue with everyday life. A simple pain reliever like paracetamol (the active ingredient in medicine brands such as Panadol or Herron) should be your first choice, as it generally has fewer side effects than other kinds of pain-relieving medication.

It’s still important to be aware of the benefits and risks when you’re selecting an over-the-counter pain reliever, however. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about any medicines you’re currently taking (including any other pain relievers, both prescription and non-prescription) so that they can advise which pain relievers are safest for you.

If you can’t take paracetamol, or if it doesn’t provide sufficient pain relief for you, there are alternatives that may be suitable. In this case, it’s best to discuss your options with a pharmacist or doctor.


Other non-medicine treatments:

There are also other, non-medicine treatments that may be suitable for back pain.

Some examples include:
• Hot or cold packs, such as a warm blanket, wheat pack, hot water bottle or bag of frozen peas.
• Manual therapy, such as spinal manipulation, spinal mobilisation and massage.
• Acupuncture.
These treatments have not been scientifically proven, but are anecdotally known to relieve pain.


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