Over 84% of adults experience low back pain during their life. About 50% of them have more than a single episode. In fact, back pain is such a common problem that it has been ranked as the 2nd cause of lost workdays.
Of course, not every back pain is a serious problem. The severity of the discomfort will vary. Some episodes go away on their own. Others need specific treatment. But, in certain cases, people end up in the emergency room.
| Frequent, severe low back pain | 8.18% |
| Low back pain related to work | 5.25% |
If you want to know more about back pain, how to manage it, and when to seek treatment, you’ve come to the right place. We collected recent data and statistics that will help you understand what you are dealing with. So, let’s get right to it!
What’s Triggering the Back Pain?
According to the National Institutes of Health, many factors can cause lower back pain. But, sometimes the back pain can occur without an actual cause. To identify it, the doctor can use an imaging study. Low back pain is usually caused by problems with the muscles, bones, nerves, or abdominal organs.
Here is a quick overview of the most well-known causes. That includes:
- Bad posture – Sitting hunched when working in the office can cause muscle tension, twisting, and over-stretching. This can cause both shoulder and back pain.
- Ligament or muscle strain – Based on reports from the American Chiropractic Association, strains and irritated joints are the most typical cause of back pain. Whenever you keep lifting something heavy, or you make a sudden awkward movement, you can easily strain the muscles. Those who are in poor physical condition are constantly vulnerable to sprains.
- Osteoporosis – This condition is making the bones fragile and brittle. That means the odds of fractures are much higher. Huge population studies have reported a link between osteoporosis and low back pain. The chronic pain frequency varies with age, impacting 41% of people between 65-75 years and 55% older than 85.
- Arthritis – Osteoarthritis can put a lot of pressure on the lower back. Sometimes it can cause spinal stenosis, which is the narrowing of the area around the spinal cord.
- Ruptured or bulging disks – Disks are basically cushions for the vertebrae. When a nerve gets damaged or receives too much pressure, it can cause back pain.
Treatment Methods
In most cases, the back pain goes away on its own. But, everyone is different, and their back pain could be a more complicated condition. The first thing people do is reach for OTC pain relievers. But, pain-relieving meds are the least popular choice among physical therapists.
According to the Journal of Physiotherapy Research, many therapists have their preferences when it comes to picking out the best treatment. Scientists evaluated 91 therapists in a non-experimental study to see which method they would pick.
The most popular one was education biomechanics, with a 17% prevalence rate. Followed by strengthening exercises (15%) and stretching (12%). The main goal of education biomechanics is to use sport and exercise to curb the pain.
In many studies, physical exercise is prescribed in rehabilitation for low back pain. It is a great way of improving blood flow, engaging the muscles, and easing the discomfort. Strengthening exercises are also used to prevent and alleviate back pain. They can strengthen the arm, leg, and core muscles. This allows more blood to flow towards the back and ease the stiffness.
Stretching is another popular option. It reduces muscle tension, improves mobility, range of motion, and decreases the risk of disability from back pain. With options such as these, people can accelerate the healing process.
So, whenever you have back pain, work on your flexibility and muscle strength. Consult with a physical therapist about the exercises you can implement that will help with the pain and posture. Regular stretching and physical activity can help stop the pain from recurring. This is something that can be useful for the long haul.
When to Call a Doctor?
Some red flags could be a potentially serious underlying cause for the low back pain. If you’ve experienced recent significant trauma, unexplained fever, or weight loss, you will need t contact a doctor. Other red flags include a history of cancer, prolonged use of corticosteroids, disabling pain and discomfort as well as a great pain that doesn’t subside in 6 weeks.
Final Thoughts
Many people struggle with back pain. But just because it is a common problem, it doesn’t mean you don’t need treatment. The pain can sometimes be severe and require specific therapy. If your pain and discomfort are getting out of hand, contact a doctor as soon as you can. But, it is best not to wait until the pain gets too severe. Instead, talk with a physical therapist so that you can start preventing the pain with exercise and stretching.
References
https://www.imedpub.com/articles/managing-low-back-pain-attitudesand-treatment-preferences-of-physicaltherapists-in-chennai.php?aid=21336
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3872656/
https://www.acatoday.org/Patients/What-is-Chiropractic/Back-Pain-Facts-and-Statistics
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4824363/
https://www.startstanding.org/back-pain-statistics-and-facts/#prevalence
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S187706571301292X