Not All Kind of Back Pain Want Surgery: Here's What You Need to Know

Dr. Dipen Patel | MS Kinesiology (USA)
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Many people suffering from a continuous spell of back ache choose to go in for surgery. But the back is not as delicate as we have to come to believe and hence there is no reason to panic when one suffers a back ache. A back ache can be easily relieved without surgery and with some simple treatments after understanding the root of the ache.

Things that do not cause a back ache:

It is not uncommon for reports like X-ray and MRI reports to be unable to explain the source of a back ache. In order to conclusively arrive at the root of the issue a handful of complementary tests, such as the muscle strength and tenderness test, nerve response test etc., are also conducted to fathom the measure of things. What one needs to understand is that the vertebras are a collection of bones which are held together by the muscles that surround it. These muscles are also referred to as “anti-gravity muscles”. If these anti-gravity muscles are weakened, then these muscles start caving in towards each other, causing a swelling and spasm in the muscles. This causes a back ache.

There are a lot of misconceptions with regard to back aches. For instance there is a belief that women who give birth will almost certainly have a back ache. But this is strikingly wrong. These new mothers are usually ailing from the inflammation of the sacroiliac joint. During pregnancy, the joints from the back are pushed to create pressure on the sacroiliac joint on account of the inflation of the mother’s stomach. The result is a swelling of the ligament that supports the sacroiliac joint. It is this ache that women experience after their pregnancy and not due to a dysfunctional spine. It must be noted that if this condition is not diagnosed, then it can become incurable.

Another such misconception is that women who opt for a cesarean delivery (known as the C-section) suffer from back pain because of the injection that is administered to the spine during this process. But this is also categorically wrong. The ache in the back is due to the swelling and the weakness in the muscles that surround the back. Additionally, the strain added to the area during the delivery also contributes to the pain.

There are also people who claim that the cause of the back ache is in the mind of the person and it is nothing but some sort of psychological effect. This may not always be the case. The back ache is like a stomach ulcer. While it is caused by an increased strain on the body, it is not necessary that the ache may go away immediately on being relieved from the strain.

These days, people are seeking out yoga as a cure for their back related ailments too. But even this art is not a thorough cure for it. Yoga is , of course , known to cleanse the body, mind and soul and the flexibility it furnishes to the muscles may help relieve the strain. However, there have been observations that say that many people’s back ailments have begun or gotten worse by practicing the yogic postures in an improper manner. Many people suffering from chronic back ache also wonder if they have been struck by terminal diseases like tuberculosis or cancer of the spine. This does occur on a general scale. So if you believe you have any of these deadly diseases, look for the following symptoms while bending. If you find any of them occurring, it is better to get yourself diagnosed:

· If you’ve had severe back ache for continuously more than six weeks

· If your back ache has been escalating without any sign of relief

· If you feel a continuous tingling sensation in your thighs and buttocks   area and are not able to control your urine and stool motion.

· If you have met with a severe accident which has caused trauma to the spine, then the chances of a fracture are high.

Besides the above, if you have a swelling around the socket of the vertebra, or if you feel a tingling sensation in your legs or are experiencing back ache, effective cure is available.