56% of people with lower-back aches say symptoms disrupt their daily routines, including sleep and sex. Not only that, but it’s the fifth most common reason for hospitalizations and third most common cause of surgery. Talk about a pain in the…back.
There are many possible causes of back pain, and several situations combine to create that pain. And it turns out that some seemingly insignificant everyday habits can take a big toll on your back over time. Here are some of the top ten mistakes that may be causing your aches and how to correct them.
Do I have a herniated disc? At Home Indicators of Disc Herniation
Most disc injuries occur in the lower back. Disc injuries often cause pain radiating into an extremity. The herniated disc of the low back cause pain in the lower back and radiate into the leg often to the toes. Herniated disc in the lower back often cause leg pain without any lower back pain. Ninety percent of the time when you have radiating leg pain below the knee it is related to a compressed disc of the lumbar spine.
Three at home lower back tests you can do to indicate if a herniated disc is causing your pain are:
Slump Test – Sit on a chair. Then slump your shoulder forward and let your lower back curve toward the back. Then raise one or both of your legs straight out in front of you. If you have radiating pain in the leg you probably have a lower back herniated disc.
Leg Raise Test – Lay on the floor flat of your back. Keep both legs straight and raise both heels off the floor about 6 inches. If you have radiating pain into a leg or legs or you are unable to hold your legs up you probably have a lower back herniated disc.
Leg Traction Test – While lying flat on your back have someone pull slowly and but firmly on your leg from the ankle and foot. If your lower back or leg pain lessens you probably have a herniated disc and traction would be a good treatment.
You still need a professional orthopedic and neurological assessment of your lower back along with a radiographic examination such as an x-ray or CT/MRI scan to narrow down the specific level involved.
If you or someone you know suffers from chronic back pain or scitica from a herniated disc, you can call our office for a complimentary assessment of your lower back to see if you are a candidate for spinal decompression therapy.
Degenerative disc disease (DDD) can affect any part of the spine, but it most commonly affects the low back (lumbar spine) or neck (cervical spine). Where you have pain will depend on what region of your spine has the disc degeneration.
Generally, people with degenerative disc disease have chronic back or neck pain. Sometimes, though, pain will flare up—that’s called an acute episode. The main symptom, though, is pain, so you should pay attention to it and what makes it better or worse.
With DDD, you may notice pain patterns such as:
More pain when sitting for a long time, bending, lifting, or twisting
Less pain when walking or running
Less pain if you change positions frequently
Less pain when you lie down
It’s important to treat your back pain properly. Seek medical attention if your pain persists—and seek immediate attention if you have any of the emergency signs listed below.
