Dr. Fiza Taj Samadh

You might be an elite athlete or just a commoner. There is always a possibility for you to develop back pain while carrying out your daily activities. You might not be aware, but regular activities—like sitting at the computer, running on the treadmill or simply crawling into your bed for a good night's sleep—can affect the health of your spine. You are always at the risk of damaging your spine. These damages lead to back pain. It has been found that faulty postures can cause back pain by causing straining of the back muscles, injuring the tendons and damaging the vertebrae or ligaments. Back pain can be caused due to the overuse of a particular activity or for undertaking a new activity. Besides all these possibilities, most people put the blame on their discs for back pain.

What Are The Discs?

The human spine is composed of 24 bony vertebrae. These are placed one on top of the other. There is a thin intervertebral disc between each vertebrae. These discs look like jam doughnuts. They are made up of a hard outer shell known as the annulus fibrosis. They have a soft, jelly-like inner core known as the nucleus pulposus. They are shock absorbers.

What Happens To The Discs When An Injury Occurs?

The jelly-like soft core in the discs can often get shifted as a result of the accident or injury. Thus, the discs become a reason behind back pain. The pain could be due to the problems with the disc while carrying out tasks like —

1. Prolonged sitting

2. Bending

3. Lifting

4. Twisting

5. Pulling

Symptoms Of Disc-Related Pain:

Symptoms tend to vary due to the nature of the injury and the damage caused. However, some common symptoms have been listed below:

1. Localised back pain

2. Pain in thighs, lower legs and feet

3. Tingling sensations

4. Numbness or muscular weakness

Treatment-

It is best to consult a doctor to know about the treatment needed for back pain related to disc. Initial treatment after detection of the problem includes the following ways:

1. Intake of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and pain medication.

2. Application of heat and ice packs.

3. Physiotherapy.

4. Home exercise program as suggested by the doctor.

5. Practicing of core and lumbar strengthening exercises.

One must stop movements that aggravate the pain and don’t take difficult physical activities. You must take adequate rest to set things right.

Do You Need Any Surgery?

It is not always needed for all disc related problems. Most issues with the disc vanish after a week. Surgery is sought only after nonsurgical treatments prove useless. The decision must be taken by a doctor. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a physiotherapist.