| There are many different reasons that people have | | | | constant with different degrees of severity. Acute |
| back pain but the most usual reason is poor posture. | | | | back pain will often just start up with no known |
| If a person constantly sits or stands incorrectly, a | | | | reason. Injury of trauma can also cause acute back |
| sore back is often the outcome. We were often told | | | | pain. After six to eight weeks, this back pain will |
| by our parents to "sit or stand up straight" as children | | | | improve or be gone completely. |
| and they were correct. For a person that has had | | | | About fifty percent of people with acute back pain |
| poor posture their entire lives, eventually their joints | | | | have injured their back. Sometimes it is a torn |
| damage and start wearing out. Unfortunately, the | | | | muscle, strained joint or trauma and causes intense |
| back pain caused by this is as severe as a person | | | | back pain. Usually these conditions cause the patient |
| that had an accident. There are other causes of back | | | | to have decreased activities and muscle spasms. |
| pain and understanding them helps us to avoid or deal | | | | Physical therapy often helps along with preventative |
| with back pain. | | | | practices and follow-ups if necessary. If a person |
| If your back pain is persistent then it is time to see a | | | | suffers from acute back pain more than three times |
| doctor. The doctor will be able to run tests to find | | | | annually or have problems with daily activities such as |
| out why you are in pain and the different treatments | | | | sleeping, walking or driving, to mention just a few, |
| available to bring you relief from this pain. Usually for | | | | often will develop chronic back problems |
| less severe back problems, within two weeks of | | | | Chronic Back Pain |
| starting treatment, there will be relief from the pain. | | | | Unlike acute back pain, patients describe chronic back |
| Two different types of back pain are neuropathy | | | | pain as aching, dull, burning or deep pain in a certain |
| and nociceptive. | | | | part of the back. This pain can be the result of |
| Nociceptive - caused by disease of injury, pressure or | | | | arthritis, previous injuries or nerve damage. Often this |
| ache, such as arthritis | | | | pain will travel down a person's leg causing pins and |
| Neuropathy - a burning or stabbing sharp pain caused | | | | needles, tingling, burning or numbness. Often with |
| by nerve tissue such as a pinched nerve | | | | chronic back pain, people have difficulty working. |
| Acute and Chronic Back Pain | | | | Unlike acute back pain, chronic pain does not respond |
| Acute back pain is often in the lower part of | | | | well to regular medicine management and the pain |
| someone's back. Sometimes the pain is a constant, | | | | lasts longer than chronic back pain. Always see a |
| dull ache or a very piercing, sharp pain in the lower | | | | doctor is you have severe back pain that is not going |
| back and is often on either side or even the centre. | | | | away. |
| This pain can stop and start but is most often | | | | |