Understanding and alleviating back pain

It has been estimated that there are currently 65 million Americans suffering from back pain, with 80% of adults stating that they have been bothered in some way by back pain at some point in their lives. Of those 80%, more than half stated that their back pain was severe enough to disrupt their regular routines for at least a week or more and about 88% stated that their back pains were recurring. Perhaps there are some people with back pain that can be provided relief by chiropractic methods, but there are many types of back pain stemming from problems that a chiropractor would be unable to solve, such as repairing fractures to bones or repairing damage to the interior of joints. For these types of problems, an orthopedic or spinal surgeon would be needed.

It seems that as people get older, back problems not only get worse, but also grow in duration, frequency, and number. A good amount of back problems are caused by the process of aging. One such problem is known as degenerative spine cascade, or degenerative disc disease, in which the human spine goes through a continuous process of changing and degenerating brought on by wear and tear through the years or by an acute or recurring injury. Other factors that contribute to this spine degeneration disease are genetic predisposition, major trauma, occupational factors, diet and nutrition, sports related activities, and exercise levels. These factors can contribute to the degeneration of the discs- which provide cushioning and spine absorption for spinal vertebrae- that are already being worn down by time and age. Although degenerative disc disease can be treated without surgery through physical therapy, osteopathic manipulation, or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, but for some patients, adequate relief doesn’t occur until after surgery, such as spinal fusion, has been performed.

Another type of problem brought on by aging, and can be exacerbated by a variety of factors, is known as bone spurs. Bone spurs, or as they are technically called, osteophytes, smooth, bony growths that form along joint margins; they are technically just extra bone. Bone spurs commonly form on the spine, hands, shoulders, hips, feet, and knees. When certain joints, areas of joints, or cartilage at the end of bones, are under constant, continual pressure, rubbing, or stress, the body may respond by building an extra bone in order to repair itself; this extra bone is the bone spur. Although mild bone spurs can be treated with nonsurgical methods such as stretching and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, more painful and uncomfortable bone spurs will require surgery. Decompression surgery, lumbar spine surgery, and spinal fusion surgery are just different examples of the types of orthopedic surgery available to alleviate back pain.

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Supporting your back

As a parent, you are always looking out for your child’s health and making sure they get the best they possibly can. You make sure you choose the right day care, the right school, and keep an eye on the friends they choose to play with to keep them out of trouble. While you are ensuring your child has the happiest childhood possible, don’t forget the little things that may hinder their health along the way. It has been discussed in a New York Times article that children are carrying a higher weight amount in their backpacks than they should be.

Children that are carrying more than 15% of their body weight in their backpack are setting themselves up to acquire a back problem easier than others. If a child weighs around 85 pounds, they shouldn’t be carrying more than 12 pounds in their backpack, and when you add textbooks, extra clothes, and items for after school activities, those 12 pounds gets filled quickly.

There are alternatives to look into to help with this issue that may be easily overlooked. You could purchase a roller backpack for your child that allows for more room and easier time transporting items around. You could also look into renting or purchasing copies of their current textbooks your child does not have to physically carry so many books home. With technology today, many schools are choosing books that are available on other devices such as electronic reading devices, or that can be shared online. This is also to help bring down the cost schools have to pay every year for new edition textbooks.

A way to make sure that your child is properly taken care of, you need to have them examined by a doctor regularly and often. Most schools have a requirement of how many physicals a child must have within a year in order to keep them eligible to attend school. By having your child examined, you can make sure they don’t have any back problems that could lead to spine degeneration or bone spurs in the future. Spine degeneration is caused when a person’s day to day activities cause wear and tear on your spine’s invertebral discs and eventually break them down. In order to correct this issue, the treatment options are physical therapy, bed rest, or epidural steroid injections to help control the pain.

Bone spurs are caused by a growth formed on the bone and even though it’s usually a smooth growth, it does cause pain if it begins to touch ligaments, nerves, or tendons. These can usually be found in areas such as the shoulders, spine, hands, hips, knees, and feet. Most bone spurs don’t require treatment if they don’t hurt you, and a solution for them may be as simple as losing weight, massaging the bone spur area frequently, or simply resting. By keeping up on your child’s health, you can help reduce the risk of these problems along with more to ensure your child has a full and happy childhood.

Learn more about how to make sure your child’s back is being taken care of HERE, and also please refer to this article