Sixty percent of adults suffer from back pain every year, and half become chronic sufferers. Back pain can be caused by problems with discs, joints, muscles and ligaments.
Back pain is most often the result of acute trauma / injury, poor postural habits and the accumulation of physical stress on the spine but there are other causes of back pain such as inflammation, and rarer, more serious problems such as progressive diseases affecting bones and joints.
A back problem, in turn can cause sciatica in which nerve pressure is experienced as pain in the leg, ankle or foot. Pins and needles and numbness are also common. Acute back pain can last from between a few days to a few weeks, while longer lasting pain is considered chronic.
Symptoms
Symptoms of back pain may include:
- Muscle ache
- Shooting or stabbing pain
- Pain that radiates down your leg
- Limited mobility of your back
- Difficulty standing straight
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Causes of Back Pain
Lower Back Strain/Lumbar Muscle Strains
Back pain most often occurs from strained muscles and ligaments. This can happen due to improper lifting or a sudden awkward movement. Common causes of low back pain include lumbar strain, nerve irritation, lumbar radiculopathy and conditions of the bone and joints.
Visit our Lower Back Pain page for more information.
Sciatica
Sciatica is a specific pain that originates from the sciatic nerves which each run from one side of the pelvis through the hip and buttocks and down the leg. Sciatica is a condition where pain, weakness or altered sensation can be experienced in the buttock, hamstring, calf or foot but stem from the spine, via the Sciatic nerve. The Sciatic nerve forms what is effectively an electrical cable to and from the brain.
Visit our Sciatica page for more information
A ruptured inter-vertebral disc, also called a herniated disc, is another common cause of back pain. Treating back pain caused from a herniated disc varies depending on the particular circumstances and the individual.
Visit our Ruptured Disc page for more information.
Treatment
As there are several causes of back pain, our Physiotherapists are trained to diagnose problems in the joints and soft tissues of the body and will carry out a comprehensive assessment and treatment plan for your particular problem.
Acupuncture is commonly used as an effective method to treat a wide range of musculoskeletal conditions including lower back pain and sciatica. Our Chartered Physiotherapists and Certified Acupuncturists may help to relieve your back pain. For more information please see our acupuncture page.
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