Back Pain – Hello Doctor

How best to treat your back pain

February 20th, 2018 by The Hello Doctor Team

After headache, back pain is the most common cause of pain. Do you know the signs, how to prevent it and what to do when pain strikes?

An estimated 75% of South Africans experience back pain in their lifetime. Some of the factors that place you at risk include ageing, an inactive lifestyle, poor posture, genetic factors, pregnancy and smoking.

Common symptoms

Pain in the back.
Restriction of back movements.
Numbness of one or both legs.
Back pain radiating to the foot or knee.
Dizziness or disturbance of vision related to neck posture.
Difficulty standing up after sitting for a prolonged period.
Back pain after standing for a long period of time.

Strengthen your back with exercise

Exercise helps build back and abdominal muscle strength and flexibility. This strength in turn helps to support and align your back, and ensures you’ll have far less back injuries.

Hip flexor stretch

Stand next to something sturdy for balance. Lunge forward, keeping your trunk upright until the back knee reaches the ground. Shift your weight onto the front leg while leaning your trunk slightly backwards. You will feel a stretch in the front of your hip and thigh on the back leg. Place a towel under your knee for more comfort. Hold for 30-60 seconds then switch legs.

Low back stretch

Lying on the floor, bring both knees toward your chest and grip them while making a small rocking motion. You will feel a slight stretch in your lower back. Rock in this position for 10 repetitions.

Alternate low back stretch

Lying on the floor, place both arms straight out to the side at a 90 degree angle to your trunk. Bend your right knee while keeping the left leg straight. Cross your right foot over your left leg and place it on the floor. Allow the right knee to fall toward the floor on your left. Try to keep both shoulders pinned to the ground. To progress this stretch, bring your knee in closer to your chest and then let it fall to toward the floor. You don’t have to keep your foot on the floor as you bring your knee in to your chest. Hold for 30-60 seconds, then alternate sides.

Mid-back stretch

Sit back on your heels and place the palms of your hands flat on the floor in front of you. Slide your hands as far as you can while allowing your head to hang relaxed. Sit back on your heels and hold for 20-60 seconds. Next, walk both hands to the right and hold for 20-60 seconds. Now walk both hands to the left and hold for 20-60 seconds. If you have pain in the front of your ankles, roll a towel and place it underneath them through this exercise.

Lateral trunk stretch

Stand to the side of a pole, door frame, or railing and grab on with both hands over your head. Place both feet together close to the pole and lean away. You will feel a stretch down the side of your trunk. Try not to rotate your trunk toward the pole; stay parallel to it. Hold this stretch for 20-60 seconds. Repeat on the other side.

Chest (pectoralis)

Stand in a corner or in an open doorway and place both hands and forearms on the surface. Your elbows should be at the same level as your shoulders. Keep your feet together and lean forward until you feel a gentle stretch in the front of your chest. If the stretch feels too intense, place one foot slightly forward to relieve some of the tension. You can vary this stretch by lowering your elbows toward the floor or raising them above the shoulders. Hold for 20-30 seconds and repeat for up to five times.

References:

Is your backache due to scoliosis? How to find out.

September 5th, 2017 by The Hello Doctor Team

A constant pain in the back can place a real dampener on your day. This pain can stem from sports injuries or simply bad posture. But if yours persists, you may have scoliosis.

A curve that hurts

Scoliosis is the condition where your spine curves and rotates sideways in an unnatural way (almost like an S- or C-shape). This can affect your posture and movement, and cause pain and discomfort. There’s no known cause for scoliosis. In some cases, it may have been caused by an impact injury, an infection or disease. In other cases, the curve is only temporary and improves with age.

Do I have scoliosis?

If you have mild scoliosis, you won’t notice it immediately. It’s only when the condition progresses that you may notice your clothes hanging unevenly, that one hip or shoulder is higher than the other, or you struggle to sit up straight. While there’s nothing too much to worry about when you have scoliosis as a child, it can become more painful and visible as you age. If the scoliosis gets worse, your hip may rotate at the waist, causing your rib to abnormally stick out further than usual.

Treating the condition

Your doctor will review your family’s health history and your experience of pain and discomfort. You will most likely be referred to a back or spine specialist, who will do a spine examination to get an idea of how the curve of your spine is affecting you. Pain caused by scoliosis can be controlled with medication and spinal injections, and surgery in rare causes. There’s no need to wear a back brace.

Perfect your posture

Choose a backpack rather than a sling bag. Avoid carrying heavy loads.
Do exercises to strengthen your back and improve your posture.
Make sure your desk area is ergonomically friendly – that means comfortable, but also functional for your posture.
Sit up straight with your feet flat on the ground when you work at your desk.
Give Pilates a try. A study published in the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies has shown that Pilates improves flexibility and pain in young adults suffering from scoliosis.

References

Sore back? It could be degenerative disk disease

February 23rd, 2017 by The Hello Doctor Team

Ouch! You’ve barely lifted anything all day, but bending sends a jolt of pain up your back. Continuous painful aches in your back or legs could be signs of degenerative disc disease. When your discs lose their water content from the ravages of illness or age, they also lose their height, bringing your vertebrae closer together.

As a result, the nerve endings of your spine become narrower. When this happens, your discs aren’t well able to absorb shock from normal activities like walking, running and jumping. A poor posture and incorrect body movements could also weaken your discs and cause disc degeneration.

Causes
The most common basis for degenerative disc disease is due to the natural process of getting older. As you age, your intervertebral discs can lose their elasticity, flexibility and shock-absorbing characteristics. You may also get this disease if you’ve had an injury to your back.

Symptoms
The most common symptoms of degenerative disc disease are back and leg pain, as well as tingling or numbness in your legs and buttocks.

Back wreckers

Sitting for long periods. Few of us have perfect posture when sitting and rather tend to sag down in our chairs. Swivel chairs develop a slight tilt to one side, placing strain on your back. Sit in the same skew chair every day, and back pressure is almost inevitable.

Being unfit and overweight. These conditions often happen together. The first means that your muscles lack the tone to support your spinal column. The second means that your big belly will pull your spine forward. Again, back pain will be a natural consequence. The solution? Lose weight and get fit. You don’t need to be Usain Bolt – just lose the extra inches around your gut and get your muscles toned up.

Doing a lot of heavy lifting. Many people who work with heavy weights are attuned to bending with a strained back when lifting. But there are office drones who put their backs out by picking up nothing heavier than a sheet of paper. It happens, and it’s painful as well as a bit embarrassing.

Being stressed. Any increase in stress increases muscle tension throughout your body, which means more chance of strain and pain.

Protect your back

Avoid standing for long periods. If you stand for hours on end at work, place a stool by your feet and alternate resting your feet.
Give high heels a miss when you can and wear shoes with cushioned soles while walking.
If you have to sit all day at work, make sure that you have a straight chair with an adjustable seat, back and arms.
Use a small pillow or rolled-up towel behind your lower back while sitting or driving for long periods.
Always make sure that your knees are higher than your hips. You can use a stool for this.
Do exercises to strengthen your abdominal muscles. This will strengthen your core as well, which will make lifting things easier, with less strain on your back.

References:

Get a leg up on back pain

January 31st, 2017 by The Hello Doctor Team

You hesitate to bend and lift things, and even reaching for something is painful. Back pain can make you feel years older than you actually are and if it isn’t managed, it could cause serious damage. There are different remedies that can be used to treat back pain and keeping your legs fit is one of them. If you’re unsure, why not chat to one of our doctors? We’ll help you figure out what’s up.

Sore back? You might be guilty of one of these…

Being unfit increases your risk for back pain, especially if you work out in erratic bursts. Lack of exercise leads to weak back muscles, obesity, weak stomach muscles and muscle inflexibility.
Not sitting up straight or even bending over awkwardly can place unnecessary strain on your back.
Some people are genetically prone to back pain, usually because they inherited spinal structural abnormalities.
Work that stresses the back, like lifting, forceful movements, bending and twisting into awkward positions, repetitive movements and vibrations, which can all place strain on the back.
Pregnancy makes women prone to back pain due to the shifting of abdominal organs, forward redistribution of body weight, and loosening of ligaments in the pelvic area before delivery.
Smoking may decrease blood circulation to the tissues of the back.

How to move it and alleviate pain
Exercise helps to keep your body healthy and fit. By working leg exercises into your training routine, you could help to ease your back pain in time. Strengthening your legs will help with your back pain as weak and sore glutes fail to support your lumbar spine, which may lead to back pain. When your glutes are tight, they affect your pelvic tilt and you risk injury to the lumbar discs. It’s important to condition these muscles in order for you to recover from lower back pain.

Pistol squat
Stand holding your arms straight out in front of your body at shoulder level, parallel to the floor. Raise your right leg off the floor, and hold it there. Push your hips back and lower your body as far as you can. Pause, then push your body back to the starting position. Repeat 10 reps for 5 sets.

Reverse dumbbell box lunge with forward reach
Stand on a box or step, holding a pair of light dumbbells at your sides. Step backward into a lunge with your right leg as you lean forward at your hips and reach toward your feet. Reverse the movement to return to the starting position.

Goblet squat
Hold a dumbbell vertically next to your chest, with both hands cupping the dumbbell head. (Imagine that it’s a heavy goblet.) Brace your abs, and lower your body as far as you can by pushing your hips back and bending your knees. Pause, then push yourself back to the starting position.

Top tips

Maintain perfect posture by sitting up straight with your feet on the floor and avoid slouching when walking or sitting.
Use ice and heat as a combination to ease back pain.
Exercise regularly to keep your muscles in shape. This will help to keep your back muscles strong.

Talk to your doctor if your symptoms are severe.

References

Doctor, I have backache. Is it my kidneys?

September 20th, 2016 by The Hello Doctor Team

We have all experienced backache, but how do we know what’s causing it?

Continue reading “Doctor, I have backache. Is it my kidneys?”

Why Yoga and Pilates are doing nothing for your back

August 26th, 2016 by The Hello Doctor Team

Done right, yoga and Pilates could be the solution to your lower back pain, done wrong and they could be the cause!

Continue reading “Why Yoga and Pilates are doing nothing for your back”

Your back could cost you your job

August 7th, 2016 by The Hello Doctor Team

Back pain can be more than just painful, it can cost you time and money. Make a few changes to ensure it doesn’t cost you your job too!

Whether you are aware of it or not, your lower back is involved in almost every move you make. Your spine, muscles and nerves all work together to keep you standing up straight, as well as helping you bend, sit and twist.

Your back is like a really busy bus stop, and with all that traffic, it’s not surprising that at some point something will go wrong! And it does… often. Lower back pain is one of the most common reasons for missed work.

Is your job the cause of your back pain?

There are a number of factors that contribute to lower back pain. Your age and shape of your spine both play a part, but how you spend your day at work is also important. The most common causes of back pain in the workplace include:

Putting too much pressure on your back (e.g. lifting heavy objects)
Repeating certain movements, especially those that involve twisting or rotating your spine
Sitting for long periods of time, especially if you have poor posture

Vibration of the entire body (such as working with jack-hammers)

There isn’t much you can do to change your age (unfortunately), or the shape of your spine, but the good news is that there ARE changes you can make to your daily work schedule that can help to protect your back.

It’s all in the “ergonomics”

“Ergonomics” is all about making changes to the way you do your job that makes your back work less, and the other, stronger body parts work harder, such as your legs and core (tummy) muscles. This means making changes to your posture and avoiding stressful movements to reduce tiredness, discomfort and damage to your back.

If you have a job that requires sitting or standing all day, keep your posture in check

Sitting up straight does more than just make you look taller. It takes much of the pressure off your lower back. Once you start focusing on your posture, you’ll start to notice how much better your back feels.

Keep your head up. Make sure you keep your head and neck right above your shoulders, try not to strain forward
When standing, balance your weight evenly on your feet, keep your tummy tight and don’t slouch!
When sitting, try to choose a chair that supports your back. If that isn’t possible, put a pillow behind you at the base of your spine
When sitting, change the height of your chair so that your feet are resting flat on the floor
When sitting, sit close enough to your desk that you can rest your elbows on it
Take regular breaks. Get up for some water, go to the bathroom or do some shoulder rolls. Movement takes the pressure off your spine and boosts blood flow to it.

If you have a job that requires you to lift heavy objects, lift with your legs

Always think before you lift and make a plan. For example, where does the object need to go, and is there anything in the way? Once you have your plan, use the healthy lifting technique:

Before lifting, stand with your feet apart, one foot slightly ahead with the other. Keeping your feet wider apart helps your balance during lifting
Arch your back inwards and lock it in using your muscles. Tuck your chin in as in military attention and stick out your chest to arch your back.
Lift the object using your legs, not your back! Keep your muscles tight.
Keep the object as close to you as possible, and don’t twist while lifting
Keep this same “locked” position when you put the object down.
Know your limits. If an object is too heavy – ask for help!

If you have a job that requires you to do repetitive movements, mix it up

Doing the same movement over and over isn’t only going to place strain on your lower back, but also any other part of your body involved in the movement. Try to change your movements regularly to give each joint a bit of a break. Don’t forget these healthy back rules too:

Push, don’t pull
Keep your tummy muscles tight all the time
Don’t do any twisting or bending that isn’t absolutely necessary
Listen to your body. Pain is your body’s way of telling you something is wrong. Change your position or try another task
Always make sure that the settings on any equipment you are using are right for YOU!

Other ways you can support your back so that it can support you

Stop smoking. Smoking can reduce blood flow to your spine and the muscles that support it
Stay in a healthy weight range. Extra weight, especially around your belly places extra strain on your lower back
Stay physically active. This will strengthen your lower back (and the rest of you too).

If you have back pain, or even if you don’t, take the time to look around your work environment and look for situations that might be hurting your back. Even simple steps to ease back pain are steps in the right direction!

Sources: MayoClinic; KZN Department of Health, NHS choices

What could be causing your back pain?

October 19th, 2015 by The Hello Doctor Team

Maybe you were showing off your latest dance moves last night, or slept in a weird position and woke up with a stiff back. Or it could be a sudden spasm that leaves you hunched over, or a constant pain that’s been hassling you for months. Whatever it is, you want to find out what’s causing it.

The good news is, most cases of back pain aren’t caused by serious disease or injury, but rather by a minor strain or sprain, or an irritated or pinched nerve. This could be triggered by an everyday activity, or it can develop slowly as a result of standing, sitting or lifting badly.

Continue reading “What could be causing your back pain?”

Don’t let back pain affect your sex-life

October 21st, 2014 by The Hello Doctor Team

Suffering from lower back pain? If you do, then it’s understandable that you’ll try your best to avoid being intimate with your partner for fear of igniting pain instead of passion. However, chronic backache doesn’t need to be the end of your sex life. With a few changes to your positions and pace, intimacy is possible and mutually satisfying.

Continue reading “Don’t let back pain affect your sex-life”

Could your desk job be affecting your posture?

September 3rd, 2014 by The Hello Doctor Team

Do you slouch when walking, or lean forward when working on a computer? Then it’s time for you to straighten up! We’re not kidding either – bad posture can affect your health and can cause a great deal of pain. Desk jobs are notorious for giving us posture problems because we tend to lean forward and stay in that lazy position for hours. Let’s take a deeper look into some of the most common forms of bad posture: Continue reading “Could your desk job be affecting your posture?”