Back Pain Facts

Back pain is a problem that can have many causes and can leave you feeling terrible. In this article, we'll relay some facts about back pain to you so that you can better understand the problem and how you can treat it.

-- Back pain is a problem that affects between fifty and eighty percent of all Americans at some point in their lives. Over 24 billion dollars are spent per year in the United States alone for back pain treatments, and that isn't even considering the amount of lost work time the problem causes.

-- The most common cause of back pain is a strained muscle or ligament in the back. Since the muscles of the back need to support the weight of the upper body while still being flexible enough to allow you to move properly, it's quite easy for them to become strained. This type of back pain problem can be resolved by simply resting and stretching. Back muscle strains generally heal over a period of two to six weeks.

-- Another problem that people with back pain may be experiencing is known as a herniated disc. These occur when the discs that are located between the vertebrae that make up your spine become ruptured, causing some of the internal disc to squeeze out of its normal spot.

-- There are many reasons that you may experience back pain. Lots of cases are preventable and occur due to poor lifestyle choices. Poor posture, high levels of stress, not sleeping enough and being overweight can cause a back condition to develop.

-- If you are experiencing back pain that is lasting longer than a few days, or if the pain is so intense that it wakes you up at night, it's important to visit a doctor to determine the cause. Also, if you're experiencing chills, a fever, or sweating, you should speak to a doctor in order to ensure that you don't have an infection.

-- While the many different causes of back pain need different types of treatments in order to heal the problem, a lot of the time use of heat and cold can be a sufficient remedy.

-- There are thirty three bones located in the back, with discs located between them in order to allow for cushioning.

-- Statistics have shown that approximately one out of ten cases of back pain are serious enough to merit treatments. Approximately one out of one hundred cases of back pain will result in a need for surgery to remedy the problem.

-- There are three classifications of back pain: acute back pain, which lasts six weeks or less, sub-acute back pain which lasts between six and twelve weeks, and chronic back pain which occurs for more than twelve weeks.

Hopefully, we've cleared up some of the questions that you have regarding back pain. The more that you know about an affliction, the better suited you'll be when it comes to dealing with it. If you're experiencing persistent back pain, be sure to visit your doctor.

About the Author:
Mike Serovey is the owner and webmaster for http://www.mikeserovey.net where you can submit your articles for free.