Back pain is a leading cause of disability around the world. You may have felt fine for years, but something recently made your pain flare up. There are many causes of back pain, but physicians generally agree that emotional stressors; such as insomnia, depression, or anxiety, often contribute to the collective effect of chronic pain. Some treatments for chronic back pain include stretching, physical therapy, and pharmaceutical intervention.
Do you have trouble standing, sitting, or sleeping? Are you experiencing muscle spasms or aches? Do you feel a shooting pain from your waste to your foot and back? All of these are symptoms of chronic back pain. In some cases, a sudden onset of back pain could be a serious medical emergency. If a sudden onset of back pain is paired with neurological impairment, progressive paralysis, stomach pain, fever, or other unexplained symptom, please contact an emergency physician for advice.
When diagnosing chronic back pain, doctors may use a number of tests, such as the X-ray, CT scan, and MRI. By definition, if pain has lasted for three months or more, it’s generally considered chronic in nature. When diagnosed with back pain, you may be referred to a variety of holistic services, like acupuncture, yoga, massage, chiropractor, or physical therapy.