Injuries in the lower back can occur because of an accident, a disease, or infection. It can be due to arthritis, disc injuries, and structural issues and cause lower back pain. Usually, lower back pain improves when you rest, take medication, or get physical therapy. To minimize your risk of this type of pain, you should maintain a healthy weight and exercise. Also, you should visit East Brunswick, NJ Spine and Wellness to prevent your condition from progressing.
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Understanding Lower Back Pain
This pain can result from a lot of injuries, diseases, and conditions. It can range from mild to serious. Sometimes, it can make it hard or impossible to sleep, walk, work, or perform daily activities. Hands-on treatments and cortisone injections can alleviate pain and promote the healing process. Sometimes, you may need to get surgery for spine injuries and conditions.
Common Symptoms of Lower Back Injuries
If you have lower back pain, you may experience the symptoms gradually or suddenly. In some instances, pain occurs following an activity like bending to pick up something. Sometimes, your pain occurs even if you don’t do anything.
Lower back pain may be sharp, achy, and dull and may radiate down the back of your legs if it is due to sciatica. If your back is strained during an activity, you will hear a popping sound. Usually, your pain is worse in some positions, such as bending over, and tends to improve when you lie down. The following are other symptoms of lower back injuries:
- Stiffness. If your spine or lower back is injured, moving or straightening the back can be hard. Also, it may take a while to get up from a seated position. An injury to the lower back can reduce your range of motion.
- Posture issues. If you have a back injury or pain, you may find it difficult to stand up straight. As a result, you may stand bent with your torso not aligned with your spine.
- Muscle spasms. Following a back injury, your lower back muscles can contract in a way that cannot be controlled. You will experience chronic pain if you have muscle spasms. Also, spasms make it hard or even impossible to move, walk, or stand.
Treatment for Lower Back Pain
Often, lower back pain gets better with OTC pain medications, ice, and rest. You can also try medications, physical therapy, chiropractic care, surgery, and injections. Usually, the treatment you need depends on the cause of the pain. Correcting the root cause of the issue will often eliminate the pain.
