WE CAN call it a lifestyle disease. Changing lifestyle and workload are major factors behind the epidemic nature of back pain. The problem is increasing due to lack of preventive management and due to carelessness. Get rid of low back pain before it gets chronic.
Ashish Rana, an employee in a BPO left his job due to prolonged low back pain. The pain had become unbearable for him and quitting his job was the only option left. The situation would have been different had Ashish adopted preventive measures at the right time. The incidence of low back pain is increasing in developing countries owing to ignorance and failure to report for early treatment.
Low back pain is spreading like an epidemic and even rural India has not been left untouched. A study conducted by Department of Orthopaedics, Paraplegia and Rehabilitation, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences tried to find the psychosocial and demographic factors contributing to the high incidence of low back pain.
The study concluded that people in jobs involving heavy manual work were most affected by low back pain. The study showed that low back pain has a lot to do with one’s profession. A sitting job or a job involving heavy manual work may cause low back pain.
Most of us suffer from low back pain at some stage in our life. Our tendency to ignore it plays an important role in the pain becoming chronic. Unfortunately it is only when this happens that we sit up and take notice. Doctors say, “When low back pain persists for more than three months it is said to have become chronic. It generally affects the area between the lower rib cage and the buttock muscles. Low back pain should be treated as a medical disorder and should not be ignored.”
In most of the cases, the reasons behind low back pain are mechanical, which means that it is not associated with any medical condition like cancer or arthritis.
Factors contributing to low back pain:
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Sedentary life style (sitting work, minimal physical activity etc).
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Lifting heavy weights or overstretching causes sprain, strain or spasm in muscles or ligaments of the lower back
Quick fact
In India, occurrence of low back pain is alarming; nearly 60 per cent of the people in India have had significant back pain at some time or the other in their lives.
Weight gain during pregnancy, physical stress, inappropriate sitting and standing postures and poor sleeping position also contribute to low back pain.
Know the science behind low back pain.
Dr Harish Bhende, consultant orthopedician, Breach Candy Hospital says, “Spine can be divided into four regions. The lumbar region supports the weight of the upper body and is the region where back pain is felt the most. If the spine becomes overly strained or compressed, a disc may rupture or bulge outward. This rupture may exert pressure on one of the more than 50 nerves connected to the spinal cord that control body movements and conduct signals from the body to the brain. Compression of nerve roots results in back pain.”
Tips to help overcome your back pain
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Analgesics including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like Ibuprofen (commonly known as Brufen) are taken orally to reduce stiffness, swelling and inflammation.
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Use of cold and hot compresses may help reduce pain and inflammation. Contact a doctor if there is no noticeable reduction in pain and inflammation after 72 hours of self-care.
Quick tips to keep your back healthy:
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Stretch before you start any exercise or other physical activity.
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Always make sure your workstation is at a comfortable height for you.
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Sit in a chair with good back support and proper position and height for the task. Keep your shoulders back and switch sitting positions.
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Wear comfortable, low-heeled shoes.
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Always sleep on a firm surface.
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Maintain proper nutrition and diet.
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