Dr. Ravi

Back pain is a common source of pain and can be acute, sub-acute or chronic in nature. Back pain is classified along the segments of the spine and can be divided into neck pain, middle back pain, lower back pain and coccydynia or tail bone pain. Back pain can be quite troublesome as it disables a person to move about freely due to constant ache.

Here are some procedures for the treatment of back pain.

1. Give your back some rest: Most people who get back pain become obsessed with it and end up getting MRI scans and x-rays done. Some even take injections and other such measures without recognizing the intensity of the pain. It is advised not to rush into the matter immediately and the simplest way to cure the pain is by resting. 90% of pains in the back resolve by themselves in 6 weeks and so you must give your back a break instead of taking medical actions and let time do the healing.
2. Pills: While you let time treat your back pain, sometimes the pain increases and gives you a bad time. In this case, you can take anti-inflammatory medicinal pills such as ibuprofen or naproxen. These pills will help you ease the pain. However, using such pills for a continued period of time causes side effects such as gastrointestinal disorders. Hence, you should not take them for more than ten days at a stretch.
3. Hot and cold compress: Apply a bag of frozen peas or an ice pack to the affected area for 48 hours after the pain appears. Every session should be about 20 minutes, and you should take more than two sessions each day. After two days, repeat the same procedure using a heat pad instead of ice. The cooling procedure shuts down your blood capillaries and reduces the flow of blood to that area. The swelling is eased as a result. The heating, on the other hand, loosens tight muscles and increases the blood circulation, providing extra oxygen.
4. Change your mattress: People who sleep on firm mattresses and cushions on their beds are at a higher risk of having a back pain. According to studies, it has been observed that people sleeping on medium-firm mattresses have healthier backs. In case your mattress in sagging or is over 8 years old, you should replace it.
5. Acupuncture: When your back pain is very severe, you can resort to acupuncture, which provides efficient pain relief. The procedure changes the way your nerves react and reduces inflammation.

Back pain arises from various reasons and should always be taken care of. Unattended back pain worsens and makes the affected person suffer.

A fracture is a complete or incomplete crack, which appears on a bone due to application of intense pressure or force. A fracture results in extreme pain, and the bone becomes immobile. Any kind of movement boosts the pain. Fracture pain occurs in three distinct stages. Acute pain is felt immediately after a fracture while sub acute pain occurs over the weeks that follow after a fracture. The third stage or chronic pain occurs when the fracture and soft tissues around it have healed.

Fracture pain is quite intense in nature and proper precautions should be taken while dealing with them:

1. Development of fracture pain: When a bone undergoes a fracture, the ligaments and tendons are also damaged. While the bone slowly heals, ligaments and tendons fail to heal equally well or completely. Post fracture pain also develops when the outside of the bone does not heal completely. This usually does not appear in an X-ray.
2. Treatment of fracture pain: Modern medications can be utilized to treat a fracture pain. Steroid injections and prescribed anti-inflammatory medicines help in treating a fracture pain. However, these remedies cause side effects, which are harmful for the body. Cortisone shots are utilized for the same purpose as well.
3. Prolotherapy: Prolotherapy is an approach where ligament and tendon strengthening is stimulated along with repairing. This technique ensures complete treatment of the fracture, and the risk of long-term complications like arthritis is absent. In cases of fracture pain, which occurs due to the incomplete healing of the outer part of the bone, Prolotherapy helps in strengthening the fibro-osseous junction at the source of the pain. This will stop the nerve endings from firing. Prolotherapy provides speedy recovery and accounts for making the injured bone stronger than before. This process is often undergone by athletes. The procedure is undertaken only after thorough examinations for detection of the root cause of the pain. Prolotherapy is considered to be the best treatment for repairing tendons and ligaments, which commonly cause fracture pain. The body is simply stimulated and the painful areas are repaired. This is done by the introduction of a mild inflammatory reaction to the area of the weak tendons and cartilages. The results obtained after Prolotherapy are permanent and the fracture pain is unlikely to reoccur.

Other measures:

• Splints are utilized to stop the movement of fractured bone and braces can be used to support the bone. Plaster cast also supports and immobilizes the fractured bone. Traction and surgical implants are other treatment measures.
• Fracture pain occurs not only because of the broken bone, but also because of the weakened ligaments and tendons around the bone. Fracture pain should be handled very carefully, and proper control measures should be applied. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!