Lower Back Pain Treatment and Surgery in India

Back pain is a common reason for absence from work and doctor visits. Although back pain may be painful and uncomfortable, it is not usually serious.

Even though back pain can affect people of any age, it is significantly more common among adults aged between 35 and 55 years. Experts say that back pain is associated with the way our bones, muscles and ligaments in our backs work together.

Pain in the lower back may be linked to the bony lumbar spine, discs between the vertebrae, ligaments around the spine and discs, spinal cord and nerves, lower back muscles, abdomen and pelvic internal organs, and the skin around the lumbar area. Pain in the upper back may be due to disorders of the aorta, tumors in the chest, and spine inflammation.

How Is Back Pain Diagnosed?

Before a doctor can begin treating back pain, he or she may do tests to diagnose what is causing your problem. Unless you are totally immobilized from a back injury, your doctor probably will test your range of motion and nerve function and press on your back to locate the area of discomfort.

Blood and urine tests may be done to be sure the pain is not caused by an infection or other systemic problem. X-rays are useful in pinpointing broken bones or other skeletal defects. To analyze soft-tissue damage such as disk herniation, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans may be needed. A CT scan can be done instead for those who cannot have an MRI. X-rays and imaging studies are not usually indicated for first-time back pain caused by an overuse type injury and are generally used only for checking out ongoing pain, direct trauma to the back, back pain with fever, or nerve problems such as weakness or numbness in the arms or legs. To determine possible nerve or muscle damage, an electromyogram (EMG) can be useful.

Unfortunately, there is not always a direct correlation between the findings on imaging studies and the amount of back pain. Many people have findings on CT scans and MRI, yet do not have back pain.

Causes of back pain

Strain - the most common causes of back pain are:
Lifting something in an improper manner is a common cause of back pain.
Treatments for back pain
Usually back pain is categorized into two types:
Injecting cells to regenerate spine discs - scientists from Duke University, North Carolina, developed new biomaterials that can deliver a booster shot of reparative cells to the nucleus pulposus, effective eliminating pain caused by degenerative disc disease.
If home treatments do not give the desired results, a doctor may recommend the following: 

Surgery - surgery for back pain is very rare. If a patient has a herniated disk surgery may be an option, especially if there is persistent pain and nerve compression which can lead to muscle weakness. Examples of surgical procedures include:

The human back is composed of a complex structure of muscles, ligaments, tendons, disks and bones - the segments of our spine are cushioned with cartilage-like pads. Problems with any of these components can lead to back pain. In some cases of back pain, its cause is never found. 

•     Strained muscles
•     Strained ligaments
•     Lifting something improperly
•     Lifting something that is too heavy
•     The result of an abrupt and awkward movement
•     A muscle spasm.

• Structural problems - the following structural problems may also result in back pain:

 Ruptured disks - each vertebra in our spine is cushioned by disks. If the disk ruptures there will be more pressure on a nerve, resulting in back pain. 

 Bulging disks - in much the same way as ruptured disks, a bulging disk can result in more pressure on a nerve. 

 Sciatica - a sharp and shooting pain that travels through the buttock and down the back of the leg, caused by a bulging or herniated disk pressing on a nerve. 

 Arthritis - patients with osteoarthritis commonly experience problems with the joints in the hips, lower back, knees and hands. In some cases spinal stenosis can develop - the space around the spinal cord narrows. 

 Abnormal curvature of the spine - if the spine curves in an unusual way the patient is more likely to experience back pain. An example is scoliosis, when the spine curves to the side. 

 Osteoporosis - bones, including the vertebrae of the spine, become brittle and porous, making compression fractures more likely.

In the vast majority of cases back pain resolves itself without medical help - just with careful attention and home treatment. Pain can usually be addressed with OTC (over-the-counter, no prescription required) painkillers. Resting is helpful, but should not usually last more than a couple of days - too much rest may actually be counterproductive.

  Acute - back pain comes on suddenly and persists for a maximum of three months. 

  Chronic - the pain gradually develops over a longer period, lasts for over three months, and causes long-term problems.

A considerable percentage of patients with back pain experience both occasional bouts of more intense pain as well as more-or-less continuous mild back pain, making it harder for the doctor to determine whether they have acute or chronic back pain. 

  Fusion - two vertebrae are joined together, with a gone graft inserted between them. The vertebrae are splinted together with metal plates, screws or cages. There is a significantly greater risk for arthritis to subsequently develop in the adjoining vertebrae. 

 Artificial disk - an artificial disk is inserted; it replaces the cushion between two vertebrae. 

 Discectomy (partially removing a disk) - a portion of a disk may be removed if it is irritating or pressing against a nerve. 

  Partially removing a vertebra - a small section of a vertebra may be removed if it is pinching the spinal cord or nerves.