Back Pain—What It Is and What You Can Do About It

It’s important to see a doctor right away if you notice any of the following:

• Pain that lasts longer than a few weeks

• Persistent aches that do not improve after 48 hours with treatment or after taking a pain reliever like Panadol

• Bowel or bladder weakness 

• A fever

• Pain caused by injury or a blow to your back
  

Four common causes for back pain:

1. Muscle strain or sprains

When you stretch a muscle too far it can tear and cause a strain. Sprains usually affect the ligament. Strains and sprains are incredibly common types of acute back injury and they usually cause severe pain in the back. Frequent causes of sprains and strains are:

• Lifting heavy items

• Sudden movements

• Injury from falling or twisting the spine

• Poor posture

• Sports injuries
  

2. Arthritis

Spinal osteoarthritis is very common and effects about 40-85% of people worldwide . In particular, it afflicts older people. It occurs when the cartilage of the joints and discs break down. Osteoarthritis can be caused by injury or trauma and is more frequent in people who are overweight.

Self-care for back aches.

It’s important to contact your doctor if you are experiencing pain. If your back pain is caused by a mild strain or sprain, there are a few self-care options to help you diminish the aching.

• Rest and avoid strenuous activities
  When you hurt your back, it’s important that you take a break and avoid all strenuous activity until you feel better. Otherwise, you could hinder your back from healing quickly. If you tend to sit or stand for long periods of time and it’s making your pain worse, you should take a break. Modify your daily activities according to your level of pain.
• Pain medication
  Pain relievers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen are available to purchase over-the-counter and can help temporarily manage your symptoms.
• Apply heat or ice
  A hot bath, heat wraps or pads help to relax the muscles and improve blood flow to them. The increased blood flow ensures that more oxygen and nutrients are carried to the muscle and this speeds up the healing process. When the back pain is due to inflammation, apply an ice pack instead to bring down any swelling. Heat and cold packs can be used interchangeably and alongside Panadol Extra or other pain medications.

Managing persistent back pain

If you are experiencing back pain, be sure to discuss it with your doctor. They can diagnose your condition and recommend treatment. There are a number of common management methods.

• Exercises for back pain
  Because your muscles support the weight of your body, it’s important to keep them strong. If back pain lasts longer than a few days, consult your doctor. It can be good idea to practice a few prescribed stretching exercises. After an injury, you’ll want to start gently and slowly build up to avoid stretches or aerobic exercises that might trigger flare-ups or cause more damage to your back.
• Massage
  Back pain that’s due to muscle spasms can be relieved via massage therapy. A massage can increase blood flow to the affected areas and speed up recovery.