Back Conditions

About the Back:

Back pain is very common, with most people experiencing some form of back pain at some point in their life. These episodes could come and go over the years. Although back pain can be very painful and limiting, there is rarely a serious cause for the pain. For a lot of people that experience back pain, the pain will usually settle on its own within 6-12 weeks. This page will guide you to manage your recovery from back pain and also advise when to seek help.

If your back pain has been ongoing for longer than 3 months, you may find further useful information in the persistent pain section.

If you have leg symptoms as well as back pain, then you may find useful information in the sciatica or stenosis advice sections in the links above.

The back is very strong and stable and does not go out of place.

Many people get back pain without any actual damage to the joints or other structures around it (e.g. muscles, tendons and ligaments).

Back pain is RARELY linked to a life-threatening problem.

X-rays and scans often are NOT needed to find the cause of your back pain.

Graded movement and exercise in most cases is NOT harmful to your back and will actually help your pain by making your body stronger, and more mobile.

Bending and lifting is very SAFE and if done regularly can make your back stronger and more tolerant of these movements.

There is NO perfect posture when resting or moving. There is NO evidence that slouching causes back pain. Research says that it is best to keep moving and to regularly change position.

Improving your general physical and mental health is very important for managing back pain.

There are lots of things you can do by yourself to help you manage your back pain. – URefer

Several different factors can contribute to the start of back pain. These include:

  • An injury – for example a fall backwards, landing on your back
  • Lifting something too heavy, at an awkward angle or repetitively with not enough break
  • A quick change (increase or decrease) to your normal activity or exercise levels
  • Weakness in the muscles in your back, bottom and/or legs
  • Changes in the spine due to age (Osteoarthritis | AHPS) or auto-immune conditions (e.g. spondyloarthritis)
  • A flare of long-standing back pain.
  • Low back pain as part of wider whole-body pain (including fibromyalgia) – Persistent Pain
  • Lifestyle factors, including: being overweight, drinking too much alcohol or smoking
  • Following a change in your mental health (e.g. a period of stress, worry or low mood).
  • Following a period of your body being ‘run down’ (e.g. poor sleep, tiredness or after an illness)

 

People with back pain may complain of any of the below changes. These could be on their own, or in any combination. The pain could be there all of the time, or it could come and go (depending on position or what activity you are doing).

  • Pain in the lower back area – this could travel into the buttocks or thighs
  • Stiffness in the back after a period of not moving – this usually improves within 30 minutes of movement
  • Difficulty with movements such as bending, lifting, or getting up from a chair or bed

There is a very rare but serious condition linked to lower back pain, called Cauda Equina Syndrome. If you have noticed any of the following changes it is very important that you go to A&E immediately for an assessment. This is because the time frame to treat is very small, so if you wait for an appointment, you may be left with lifelong permanent disability.

  • Loss of feeling / pins and needles between in / around your genital/back passage region (the area you wipe after toileting)
  • Increasing difficulty when you try to urinate
  • Increasing difficulty when you try to stop or control your flow of urine
  • Loss of sensation when you urinate or open your bowels
  • Since the onset of your symptoms leaking urine/recent need to use pads
  • Not knowing when your bladder is full/empty
  • Inability to stop bowel movements/leaking of your bowel
  • Changes in your sexual function since your symptoms
  • Loss of sensation in genitals during sexual intercourse
  • A change in the ability to achieve an erection or ejaculate
  • This information can be found in many other languages by following this link

If your low back pain is accompanied by any of the following symptoms, then it would be sensible to have a medical review with your GP:

  • Unexplained onset of low back pain and you also have tuberculosis, HIV or cancer
  • You also feel unwell, and perhaps have a fever
  • You also have loss of appetite or unexplained weight loss
  • You also have abdominal pain
  • You also get a feeling of stinging or burning when urinating, the feeling of needing to urinate more often, and/or your urine looks cloudy or red – these are signs that you may be suffering from a urine tract infection

For general back exercises, click the link below.