Don’t be a Victim of Back and Neck Pain
November 25th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed
A strong and healthy spine is, quite literally, the backbone of a vital life. Still, many of us take our backs for granted. Most every movement we make, from the time we wake up to the moment we turn out the light, is somehow related to the neck and back. When neck and back pain strikes, it affects everything we do.
As we age, neck and back pain become more common occurrences. This condition affects not only our personal health, but also our social, emotional and economic well being. Even one episode of neck and back pain is enough to completely disrupt your daily tasks, employment, leisure activity and routines. Life comes to a standstill, bringing a flood of doctors’ reports and missed employment.
Without question, neck and back pain can make life downright miserable. Still, there is no reason to panic and rush into surgery. Many other treatment options are available and there are pain management steps that you can take to overcome your obstacles. These non-surgical measures can not only help your pain, but also reduce the likelihood of recurring episodes.
What Causes Neck and Back Pain?
Most often, neck and back pain is caused by a strain or other injury to the muscles and ligaments surrounding the spinal column. These can be caused by sports injuries or a sudden increase in physical activity to which the individual is not accustomed, such as heavy lifting.
Viral infections may also cause flu-like symptoms that may be accompanied by muscular pain in the neck and back. In medical circles, this type of condition is called myalgia.
There is a natural degeneration of the spine that can be another cause of neck and back pain. The vertebrae, or individual bones making up your spine, are joined together by the intervertebral discs, joints, and ligaments. These components are combined to form the spine’s strong and flexible structure.
As we age through middle life into the golden years, the wear and tear of your intervertebral discs and other associated components of your spine can also cause neck and back pain. Movement is a common cause of these degenerative changes. With time, motion will create a breakdown of the cervical (neck) and the lumbar (lower back) areas of the spine.
Ligaments and joints are biological structures that try to heal and repair themselves. This self-healing can result in deformities of the spine, such as bulging discs, buckling ligaments and bone spurs. These changes can also cause a pinching of the canals through which nerves pass, with painful results.
Treating Neck and Back Pain
There is no definitive cure for neck and back pain, but this condition is easily and effectively treatable. Pharmaceutical medications with pain-killing and anti-inflammatory properties are the most common therapies.
If you’d like to avoid medications, there are alternative treatments available. Passive physical therapy can be used in conjunction with active physical exercise. Hot and cold compresses can be applied to the painful area to alleviate the discomfort. Other options include the use of electric impulses to override the muscular spasms that cause neck and back pain.
While it can seem impossible to lead a normal, productive life with neck and back pain, surgery is not necessarily the answer. If you suffer from persistent neck and back pain, speak to your health care provider to find out more about the treatment options that can help you get your life back.
About the Author:
Author Venus Enock is an essayist for a variety of Internet sites, on health fitness and healthy body issues. This article is available as a unique content article with free reprint rights.
