If you have lower back pain, you are not alone. Nearly everyone at some point has back pain that interferes with work, routine daily activities, or recreation. Americans spend at least $50 billion each year on low back pain, the most common cause of job-related disability and a leading contributor to missed work. Back pain is the second most common neurological ailment in the United States — only headache is more common. Fortunately, most occurrences of low back pain go away within a few days. Others take much longer to resolve or lead to more serious conditions.
Acute or short-term low back pain generally lasts from a few days to a few weeks. Most acute back pain is mechanical in nature — the result of trauma to the lower back or a disorder such as arthritis. Pain from trauma may be caused by a sports injury, work around the house or in the garden, or a sudden jolt such as a car accident or other stress on spinal bones and tissues. Symptoms may range from muscle ache to shooting or stabbing pain, limited flexibility and/or range of motion, or an inability to stand straight. Occasionally, pain felt in one part of the body may “radiate” from a disorder or injury elsewhere in the body. Some acute pain syndromes can become more serious if left untreated.
Chronic back pain is measured by duration — pain that persists for more than 3 months is considered chronic. It is often progressive and the cause can be difficult to determine.
After completing this course you’ll be able to:
| 1. | Distinguish between acute and chronic low back pain. |
| 2. | Describe the bone structures that make up the back |
| 3. | Describe various causes of lower back pain. |
| 4. | Explain various diagnostic methods used to diagnose low back pain. |
| 5. | List 10 tips to a healthier back. |
| Overview | |
| 1 | What structures make up the back? |
| 2. | What causes lower back pain? |
| 3. | Who is most likely to develop low back pain? |
| 4. | What conditions are associated with low back pain? |
| 5. | How is low back pain diagnosed? |
| 6. | How is back pain treated? |
| 7. | Can back pain be prevented? |
| 8. | Quick tips to a healthier back. |
| 9. | What research is being done? |
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