Back Pain Explained

Back Pain explains what back pain is and how it can be treated and prevented.

Basic Anatomy:

• Back Pain Home
• Anatomy for Beginners
• Types of Pain
• Finding Acute Relief
• Intervertebral Disc
• The Spinal Ligaments
• The Sacrum
• The Vertebra

Causes of Back Pain:

• Backache
• Prolapsed Disc
• Sciatica
• Spinal Stenosis
• Scoliosis
• Spondylosis
• Spondylolisis
• Spondylolisthesis
• Sacroiliac Joint
• Ankylosing Spondylitis
• Piriformis Syndrome
• Coccydynia

Back Pain Exercises:

• Benefits of Exercise
• Simple Exercises
• Core Stability
• Swiss Ball

Proper Posture:

• How Good is Yours?
• Posture in Depth
• Sitting Posture
• Standing Posture

Types of Therapy:

• Complementary Therapy
• Massage
• Reflexology
• Acupuncture

Surgery For Back Pain:

• Introduction
• Laminectomy
• Lumbar Discectomy
• Nerve Root Block

Nerve Root Block

Whilst a nerve root block is not strictly surgery, I have placed it under this category. It is a useful and common non-operative procedure.

Most physical problems are usually best dealt with non-operatively where possible. Surgery in my opinion should be seen as a last resort. At the end the day, when you have surgery, there is no going back!

In some cases of low back pain, the problem is often due to an inflamed nerve root. This is where the nerve leaves the spinal cord and makes its way to the legs. For some reason, where the nerve is strained or stressed too much, it reacts by becoming inflamed. The irritates the nerve and so causes pain.

If the disc itself is OK and there is nothing specifically pressing on the nerve, then a nerve root block can be an effective treatment. Here, the doctor places an injection of anaesthetic with an anti-inflammatory steroid component directly at the problem site. It numbs the pain and takes away the inflammation.

It often provides very good relief but symptoms can return at a later date, that could be months. The reason for this is that you need to find what has caused the inflammation in the first place. Is it posture? Is it the way you sit at work? Is it some activity you are doing incorrectly?

You see, if you take away the inflammation but not the underlying cause, the nerve will still be irritated and when the injection eventually wears off, the nerve will just get irritated again. It is advisable to get some good rehabilitation by a physical therapist after a nerve root block so you can be strengthened and remove any underlying problem.