Back pain, and more commonly low back pain, has to be the oldest, if not certainly one of the oldest, occupational health hazards known. And is probably the commonest cause of work related complaints.
Figures show that around 15 million people go to their doctor in any one year due to lower back pain, and billions are spent trying to alleviate the problem.No wonder the back pain relief industry is growing by leaps and bounds.
People with manual jobs, requiring heavy physical exertion are obviously more prone to back problems. Construction workers in particular are often subject to low back pain.
This brings it own problems with absenteeism and decreased productivity, and can lead to much more serious health problems.
As a basic guide to the severity of your back pain here are the guidelines used by doctors:
Acute back pain – lasts less than 6 weeks.
Sub-acute low back pain – lasts between 6 and 8 weeks.
Chronic low back pain – lasts more than 12 weeks.
Fortunately there is much we can do to help ourselves. The easiest way is probably as simple as taking a muscle relaxant. The more effective of these are prescription medicines and not available without a visit to your doctor.
Here is a list of some of the things you can try for your back pain, without it costing you a fortune:
Apply a cold gel pack to the painful area for up to 10 minutes.
Use the same gel pack, this time heated as hot as you can comfortably take it for the same time.
Be aware of your back and it’s movements. Avoid sudden movements which wil aggravate the condition. Try to carry on normally as much as possible, bed rest, unless totally unavoidable will usually make it worse.
Non-prescription pain relievers.
Spinal manipulation.
Back massage.
Try accupuncture.
Inversion/traction treatments.
Biofeedback.
Back supports such as back belts and corsets. Believe me, many construction workers keep working with the aid of a corset.
Injections for back pain.
Amongst the many causes of back pain can be stress, family or work related. Stress can cause your muscles to tighten up over time, giving rise to painful tension of the lumbar muscles.
This type of back pain can be helped by use of relaxation techniques such as yoga, self-hypnosis, meditation and guided imagery. Admittedly some of these options can get a little pricey, but if they do the business for you they have to be worth it.
Just remember that whatever the degree of your pain, consult a doctor early on. Backpain may just be a symptom of something more serious that will benefit from early diagnosis.
