What Do Our Backs Do for Us?

Our backs are an essential part of who we are. 

Without them , we would be unable to stand, walk, twist,, turn, bend or lift. We use our backs in almost every activity of daily living. Therefore when we experience pain in our backs, we must take it seriously.The term ‘back’ describes the trunk of the body from below the neck, right down to the tail bone. 

The upper back is called the thoracic spine and the lower back is the lumbar spine. The back is made up of bone, muscle and other type of tissue. 

Thirty-three small bones called vertebrae (shaped like irregular rings) are stacked on top of each other to from the spine which supports the weight of the body and houses and protects the spinal cord. 

Topped by the skull, the spinal column sits in a large bony bowl called the pelvis. The tailbone or coccyx, is a set of fused vertebrae at the base of the spine and serves no real function.

The vertebrae, which give our back flexibility, are stacked on top of each other and connected by discs at the front and by facet joints at the back. The discs that separate the vertebrae provide cushioning and act as shock absorber. 

Facet joints (found only in the lower back) are cup-shaped surfaces that form movable joints with our hips. A teach of the vertebrae, nerve branch out to the rest of the body. Tough ligaments help to bind the vertebrae together and strengthen the back. We have five lumbar vertebrae. These are the largest and strongest of the vertebrae and they serve a weight-bearing function.                        

BACK PAIN- 

THE BASICS 

Back pain is not a disease in itself. It is a collection of symptoms that signifies something is wrong. If managed properly, back  pain can resolve within a matter of days or weeks.                   

WHAT IS PAIN?

We all know that what pain means to us but it is often a very difficult thing to describe. Pain can be defined as an un pleasant sensation that occurs when we experience trauma or damage to our bodies. Pain may be aching, burning, throbbing, shooting, tingling or stabbing.                         

WHEN DOES PAIN BECOME A PROBLEM?  

Pain becomes a problem to us when it affects the way in which we live our lives. This is usually because it lasts a long time, or becomes chronic.                          

DIFFERENT TYPES OF PAIN

 There are three major types of pain-acute nociceptive ,inflammatory and neuropathic.·        

Bee stings and twisted ankles are examples of nociceptive pain. This is pain that occurs following damage to the bones, joints, skin or soft tissues of the body.·        

Pain in the joints caused by rheumatoid arthritis is an example of inflammatory pain.·        

Headaches and trapped nerves can be neuropathic in their origin. Neuropathic pain usually follows damage to nerve tissues.