Low back pain is very notorious and can strike at unexpected times. What’s mysterious about it is that the activity that triggered the pain might seem normal to you. It might be something as simple as bending over the sink or trying to pick a very light object. On a few occasions, the pain can be so severe that you aren’t able to think of anything else. You might also be reluctant to move from any position in fear of increasing the pain suddenly, let alone be productive.
Experiencing numbness, tingling, or lightning pain traveling to one or both of your legs is not rare, but needs to be noted. Before getting at what causes these symptoms, we need to see what to do if you ever experience this pain.
First and foremost, calm down. Whatever the mechanism of pain is, understand that this pain will reduce when given adequate rest and appropriate movements according to the stage of recovery. Try to find movements that reduce the pain. For some it might be sitting, for some lying on the side with the knees bent, and for others lying on the stomach might be relieving. Once you know what relieves the pain, try to stay in this position when you rest. You can place pillows to adjust and make it as comfortable as possible.
Needless to say, any activities that cause or increase the pain must be avoided. Do not expect that the intensity will reduce if the position is tolerated for some time. Unfortunately, this might mean that you won’t be able to do many of your daily tasks, but taking deliberate care will help you recover sooner. Rest should be taken for two days straight, but not much longer as anything significantly longer than this is found to be harmful and might hamper the future progression of the symptoms felt.
Although anti-inflammatory medications and muscle relaxants might help, avoid self-medicating and consult a healthcare professional whenever possible because doctors provide a prescription based on a detailed history and many other factors like the age of the patient, the presence of any metabolic conditions, and any ongoing treatment. Local application of ice also could help to ease the pain.
There will be a few exercises that one would know that could help in reducing the pain. These exercises could have been specially advised, or explored on the internet. You might have even done them as a part of your rehabilitation program from a previous incidence of a similar nature of pain. A key principle to help you deal with this episode is to respect your body. So if any exercise that previously reduced your pain is now causing discomfort, irritation, or is increasing the intensity of symptoms, stop the particular exercise immediately.
This is not a substitute for clinical evaluation, which is why one must visit a healthcare professional as soon as possible. This article aims to help you until you can consult a doctor. Specific history collection, physical examination a thorough consultation would help you realize the nature and cause of the pain.
First and foremost, calm down. Whatever the mechanism of pain is, understand that this pain will reduce when given adequate rest and appropriate movements according to the stage of recovery. Try to find movements that reduce the pain. For some it might be sitting, for some lying on the side with the knees bent, and for others lying on the stomach might be relieving. Once you know what relieves the pain, try to stay in this position when you rest. You can place pillows to adjust and make it as comfortable as possible.
Needless to say, any activities that cause or increase the pain must be avoided. Do not expect that the intensity will reduce if the position is tolerated for some time. Unfortunately, this might mean that you won’t be able to do many of your daily tasks, but taking deliberate care will help you recover sooner. Rest should be taken for two days straight, but not much longer as anything significantly longer than this is found to be harmful and might hamper the future progression of the symptoms felt.
Although anti-inflammatory medications and muscle relaxants might help, avoid self-medicating and consult a healthcare professional whenever possible because doctors provide a prescription based on a detailed history and many other factors like the age of the patient, the presence of any metabolic conditions, and any ongoing treatment. Local application of ice also could help to ease the pain.
There will be a few exercises that one would know that could help in reducing the pain. These exercises could have been specially advised, or explored on the internet. You might have even done them as a part of your rehabilitation program from a previous incidence of a similar nature of pain. A key principle to help you deal with this episode is to respect your body. So if any exercise that previously reduced your pain is now causing discomfort, irritation, or is increasing the intensity of symptoms, stop the particular exercise immediately.
This is not a substitute for clinical evaluation, which is why one must visit a healthcare professional as soon as possible. This article aims to help you until you can consult a doctor. Specific history collection, physical examination a thorough consultation would help you realize the nature and cause of the pain.
Certain warning signs might indicate a more sinister problem that might be causing the back pain. If your back pain is accompanied by fever, chills, urinary and bowel incontinence, weakness, or loss of sensation, make it a point to consult a specialist immediately as your case might need medical attention.
In addition to pain management, the professional can guide you to take appropriate steps to reduce the risk of recurrence. It’s unfortunate to see patients not taking their corrective and preventive rehabilitation seriously as we see incidences of recurrences very frequently in clinical practice. Once your pain is in check, tune back in to learn how to work on preventing this pain from troubling you again.
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