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In the United States alone, a huge eighty percent of the population suffers from back pain at some point of theirs lives. It may manifest itself in different forms. It may come up as lower back pain, neck pain, or sciatica for some people. Back pain may last for a short while or it may persist for a longer time depending on different people. Back pain may range from a mild, persistent pain to an unbearable back ache than worsens with the slightest of movements. Back pain, also called dorsalgia by people in the medical profession, may originate from the muscles, nerves, bones, joints or other structures in the spine.

A recent study shows that there has been a steady rise in back pain consultation over the past ten years. The same study also reported a higher percentage of male patients seeking medical consult for back pain than women, and this percentage increases to seventy percent by age sixty. Surveys show that around forty percent of the population experience back pain which lasts for more than a day in the past year. Its persistence increases as we age: one out of three men and one out of four women aged sixty-five and above have been reported to suffer back pain for the whole year as compared to one out of twelve men and women between the ages of twenty-five and fortyfour.

Fortunately, a variety of treatment are available to alleviate the pain caused by lumbago. Choosing the most fitting treatment will be determined by the patient’s physician or therapist as the results may vary for every person. Below is a list of different treatment used for different levels of back pain.

* Heat therapy is used to alleviate back pain caused by back muscle spasms.
* Medications, be it over the counter or prescription, such as muscle relaxants, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and paracetamol have been proven effective in providing back pain relief.
* Exercise while being supervised by a licensed physical therapist, may prove beneficial for short-term and chronic back pain. This includes stretching and strengthening muscles surrounding the spine.
* Massage therapy performed by a licensed therapist may also help.
* Acupuncture is an alternative treatment being used to give back pain relief.
* Back manipulation therapies like chiropracty may help lessen back pain as well.
* Surgery is most appropriate for worst cases like: lumbar disc herniation or degenerative disc disease; spinal stenosis from lumbar disc herniation; scoliosis; and compression fracture.

There have been instances where the cause of the back pain is non-physical. These factors include: on-the-job stress, repressed anger, anxiety, or depression. For these causes, treating the psychological cause or resolving existing issues may help get rid of the dorsalgia. Engaging in stress relieving activities may also help provide back pain relief.

For most people, postural factors have been the reported root cause of their dorsalgia. This may be due to improper lifting technique, poor posture, or poor support from sleeping mattresses or office chairs. Most sufferers experience a great of comfort from having such ergonomic or postural factors corrected.

Our backs support our entire body. It helps us stand tall, sit straight, and walk upright without any problem. So it is just fitting that we give it the care it is due. Preventing dorsalgia is easier than treating it. So as early as now, relieve yourself of unnecessary stress, engage in an adequate amount of physical activity, maintain proper posture, and you’re on your way to a healthy, pain-free back.

Sciaticia SOS -how to get rid of the pain in 7 days

If you’ve ever been diagnosed with sciatica, you know how essential it is to be able to relieve sciatic nerve pain when it flares up. For some sufferers, this is the worst pain they’ve felt in their lives and it requires immediate medical attention. For others, it’s time to try some home remedies.

Note that nothing said here is intended to replace medical advice. If you’re suffering from any sort of pain, let alone that from your sciatic nerve, talk to a medical professional about your treatment options. They will be able to give you the best help, and will diagnose any more serious underlying condition.

Medical Remedies for Sciatica

Depending on the cause of your sciatica, your doctor may want to try one of several different remedies. The first is to put you on an anti-inflammatory medication. These will reduce any swelling in your spine that may be contributing to or causing the pain you’re experiencing.

If the anti-inflammatory medication does not work to relieve sciatic nerve pain, most doctors will try injected anti-inflammatory medication next. This is usually in the form of a corticosteroid that is put directly into the tissue that’s putting pressure on your sciatic nerve. It should reduce swelling and therefore reduce your pain.

More intense medical interventions for sciatica include an epidural injection, similar to what many pregnant women receive while giving birth. A final option would be surgery, in which a doctor would physically move or remove anything putting pressure on the sciatic nerve.

Home Remedies for Sciatica

If your sciatica is not bad enough for your doctor to intervene in one of the above ways or if you’re trying to keep your pain under control, there are ways to relieve sciatic nerve pain that you can do in the comfort of your own home. These are simple and straightforward things that, over time, should help your discomfort.

When your pain first strikes, try applying alternating heat and cold to the affected area. Use an ice pack for 15-20 minutes, then apply a heating pad. Do this for a couple of hours and see if it makes a difference. Make sure that neither the ice nor the heat are too intense, because you can damage more tissue than you help.

While a day or two of bedrest may be necessary to relieve sciatic nerve pain, it will not do much to help the overall situation if you stay in bed for days on end. Thus, you should be sure to get up and move around, even if it is painful. This will help your spinal tissue stretch and relax, which should relieve some of your pain.

Exercise is a great way to give yourself long-term relief from sciatica pain. While you won’t want to do anything too intense, your doctor, chiropractor, or physical therapist can help you find exercises that keep your back loose and, therefore, your pain away.

Becoming Pain Free

While it may seem like a far-off dream when you’re in the middle of an attack, it is possible to use a combination of medical and home treatments to relieve sciatic nerve pain. Follow your doctor’s advice carefully. Add in some of the home treatments mentioned here, and you should find your pain dissipating.

Have you ever experienced such excruciating pain that standing up becomes a great difficulty? Sometimes, sitting down makes the pain even worse. A lot of people may be doing something so simple and yet a certain body movement would cause them unbearable pain. You may be experiencing sciatica.

What is Sciatica?

Sciatica, or sciatic nerve pain, is a condition in which the sciatic nerves in the body become inflamed. Sciatic nerves are found beginning at the lower spine and continue down the buttocks area, back of the legs, and into the feet. Symptoms of sciatica is characterized by a light tingling feeling or burning sensation to a full blown shooting pain that travels from the lower back, buttocks area, back of legs, and/or feet. More often than not, sciatic nerve pain affects only one side, although it could also be possible to run down both legs.

Sciatica could be a frightening experience especially if you do not realize what is happening. One may begin to feel like he/she will become crippled. However, most of the time sciatica can be treated effectively.

Causes of Sciatica
Sciatica may occur when the nerve in the lower spine become pinched, or if there is a slipped disk. Arthritis or a sprained ligament will narrow the passageways of the nerves which may cause the nerve endings to become tender and inflamed. Other causes of sciatica include an abscess, growth, or blood clot. But these can be rare.

Treatment of Sciatica

Since sciatic nerve pain is caused by a combined pressure and inflammation on the nerve root, treatment is generally focused on relieving both of these factors through non-surgical treatments and/or surgical methods.

Non-surgical sciatic nerve pain treatment may include one or a combination of medical treatments and alternative (non-medical) treatments. Most of the time, it includes some form of exercise and stretching.

If you are experiencing sciatica, it is advised to stay off your feet for the first few days. One of the things you must avoid is to get up and down repeatedly as this will only cause the nerve to become more irritated. Though some quarters pose question on the benefits of bed rest, still it is advisable at least for the first few days.

It may feel soothing to soak in warm baths to ease the pain. However, do not use heating pads while the nerve is inflamed. Prolonged heat will draw the inflammation in and will keep the swelling high. Rather, most healthcare professionals would advise the application of ice packs directly on the lower back area for 20 minutes at a time, every couple of hours. This may feel a little uncomfortable, but the cold packs will greatly help in reducing the swelling. Using mineral ice is also a good alternative in soothing the pain and offers a temporary sciatic relief.

Though some doctors may prescribe muscle relaxants for temporary relief of pain, caution is advised as to the side effects of these types of prescription drugs. Some medications can be addictive, or may give a false sense of feeling better.

Massage therapy is considered to be a highly effective non-surgical treatment as it can keep your spine in better alignment for longer periods of time. As soon as your back begins to heal, your doctor may give you stretching and low impact exercises so that your muscles won’t stiffen too much. Be sure to engage in exercise only when your doctors approve it.

Alternative treatments that you might find available and helpful are accupressure, accupuncture, herbal therapies, homeopathy, biofeedback, and guided imagery to name just a few.

Surgical methods to remove the portion of the disc that is irritating the nerve root are micro discectomy or lumbar laminectomy, and discectomy. Surgery helps relieve both the pressure and the inflammation especially if the sciatic nerve pain is severe and has not been relieved through medical treatments.