Back Pain is a very common ailment. It can be caused by a number of different reasons. If your GP cannot find the cause of it, they may refer to it as non-specific back pain.
It could be caused by a medical condition such as Sciatica or a slipped disc however it could also be caused by an injury or accident.
Back pain can last from a few days to a few months and there are a number of different treatments available. The recommended treatment will depend on the severity and cause of your pain.
Although many back issues do resolve themselves, you may want to seek medical help in the following circumstances:
- If it does not start to improve within a few weeks
- When it stops you doing your day-to-day activities
- The pain is very severe or gets worse over time
- You are worried about it or struggling to cope
Treatment could include any number of the below options. Surgery is normally only considered in very severe cases of back pain.
- Exercise
- Physiotherapy
- Osteopathy
- Chiropractic Treatment
- Medication
- Hot & Cold Compression packs
- Surgery
Staying active is thought to be a fantastic way to prevent back pain from occurring as this can help to strengthen your back. Adults are recommended to complete 150 hours of exercise a week.
Yoga, swimming, Pilates and walking are all excellent, low impact exercise options.
Weight loss can also prove to be helpful. Losing excess weight can reduce your chances of developing back pain.
If you are still working, make sure that you have the correct posture if you work in an office. For those of you who have a job that includes manual lifting it is essential that you follow the correct safe lifting tips because this can stop you injuring yourself unnecessarily.