Back Pain

BACK pain is a £5 billion headache for Britain. That's what industry loses as sufferers take 119 million days off a year and the NHS spends around £500 million trying to cure them.

With 40% of Britons affected, it is the largest single cause of staff taking time off sick. But there has been a revolution in thinking on how to deal with it. The old-fashioned treatment was prolonged rest.

Now experts say bed-rest for more than a day or two is actually bad for you and can make matters worse.

The most up to date advice is to get moving as soon as you can and work through your pain to recovery.

Staying active will help you get better faster and prevent more back trouble. Common causes of back pain include manual work, gardening and vacuuming, lifting heavy objects, poor posture and not being fit.

Very few people with backache have a slipped disc or a trapped nerve. And sufferers can usually deal with the pain and aches themselves, for though it is a common complaint, it is not usually due to a serious disease, in fact it is quite difficult to damage the spine, which is one of the strongest parts of the body.

The key message is that regular exercise and staying fit helps your general health and your back.

In The Back Book produced for patients to be given by their doctor or therapist and written by a team of researchers including experts from Manchester and Salford key advice is:

Be positive, stay active - you'll get better quicker and have less trouble later.

• Take regular exercise such as walking and swimming. The body thrives on such use.
• When you start you may need to build up gradually but even when your back is sore,
• you can make a start without putting too much stress on it - then keep it up.

Help-Yourself Guidelines:

• Back pain need not cripple you unless you let it.
• Live life as normally as possible
• Keep up daily activities, but be sensible, avoid really heavy things.
• Keep fit - walking, cycling and swimming will exercise your back. But do what suits you best - different exercises suit different people.
• Get back to work as soon as you can.
• Be patient - it may take time
• You may have good days and bad days, that's normal.

WAYS to avoid pain and problems:

• Think ahead - the simplest routine actions can sometimes start a problem. When you pick something up off the floor or lift something, for example, keep your back straight and bend from the knees.
• Try not to stay in one position for more than 30 minutes without a break.
• Don't twist your back, and turn your feet.
• If you spend a lot of time at your desk don't slump, keep your back straight, don't sit too long without moving and use a chair that supports your back and has adjustable height and back.
• Learn to relax. Tense muscles make the pain worse.
• When driving adjust your seat, and try a folded towel in the middle of your back.

What you can do:

If pain is severe you may have to rest for a day or two. Over the counter pain-killers should help control mild to moderate pain enough for you to start to get active. Otherwise you may need a stronger prescription medicine from your doctor.
Heat or cold may also help to start with. Try a cold pack, or a bag of peas wrapped in a towel on your back for 5-10 minutes. Some people prefer heat - a hot water bottle, heating pad, bath or shower may help relieve symptoms.
Experts such as physiotherapists, osteopaths and chiropractors may also be able to help. Your doctor may refer you to one of them, but if you go to one of your own choice, make sure they are a qualified professional.
Activities such as yoga, T'ai chi or the Alexander Technique may help, but always make sure the teacher has the appropriate qualifications.
Emotional stress or long periods of inactivity may make symptoms seem worse try to relax.

Some things may make the pain worse:

• Worry and stress makes you tense.
• Long periods in one position.
• Low soft chair, lack of support.
• Long drives without a break.
• Staying in bed too long.
• Sitting around all day.
• Never exercising.

Activity and exercise will strengthen the muscles that support your spine, improve your balance and posture, and counter the effects of depression, which are common with back pain. But you must exercise safely. Start gently and pace yourself.

WARNING SIGNS:
If you have severe pain that gets worse instead of better over the weeks or you are unwell with back pain, see your doctor. If you have back pain and develop any of the following, see the doctor right away:

• Difficulty passing or controlling urine.
• Numbness around your back passage or genitals.
• Pins and needles or weakness in both legs.
• unsteadiness on your feet.

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