Patients complaining of low back pain keep a spine injury doctors office very busy. Many patients visit pain management doctors looking for relief from this epidemic condition. Statistics report 31 million Americans experience low-back pain at any given time.
Facts about back pain:
Low back pain is the single leading cause of disability worldwide.
Working Americans admit to having back pain symptoms annually
Back pain is one of the most common reasons for missed work.
Most cases of back pain are mechanical.
Americans spend at least $50 billion each year on back pain.
Patients experiencing back pain are surprised these days when doctors take their condition seriously. Even minor back pain should be taken seriously and examined by an experienced spinal cord physician.
In every case of back or neck pain, there has been some injury to the important structures in the back that support the spine. The spinal cord is protected by a series of bones (vertebrae). This protection is vital to a person's health. The spinal cord and the nerve roots are extremely delicate. These tissues can easily be permanently damaged. Back or neck injury causing pain may damage the roots of the spinal nerves. Pain is our body's way of sending a message that an injury has occurred. The weakened body part is more susceptible to further damage. In order to ensure healing, it is vital to avoid re-injury and start physical rehabilitation in order to recovery. Spinal injuries need to be taken seriously. Every back or neck injury is a serious spinal injury. Back pain can result from "muscle pull or strain". Damaged muscles, ligaments and joints of the spine are injured as well Damage to ligaments that give integrity to the spine is a very serious matter. In order to properly rehabilitate a back injury proper diagnosis needs to be determined and recovery can begin. Of course back pain can be relieved with pain medication. Patients however shouldn't be fooled into thinking their problem is nothing serious and when the pain is gone and they're OK. In circumstances like this patient will risk greater injury. They are then in the category of someone that has a "bad back" rather than a patient who has fully recovered from a back injury. The best approach for anyone suffering acute recurring back problems is to have an spinal exam by a back pain specialist. The evaluation should be from a standpoint of not only seeking to provide pain relief but to help restore proper strength and function to the entire spine to improve the chance of a full recovery. Proper pain management care can people with spinal injuries recover with the least amount of disability.
