Discover how the right care and treatment plan can help you find relief from chronic back pain.
It can come on suddenly or develop over time. No matter how quickly it arrives, chronic back pain can make it difficult to walk, get out of bed and perform normal tasks of daily life.
If you’re dealing with this painful problem, you’re not alone. The National Council on Aging reports that approximately 8% of American adults deal with chronic back pain.
Keep reading to find out whether you have this painful condition and how to manage it going forward.
Chronic vs. Acute Back Pain: What’s the Difference?
When back pain lasts at least three months, it’s considered chronic. Acute pain lasts for a few days to a month, while subacute pain lasts between one month and three months.
Acute Back Pain: Fast Onset, Short Lived
Acute and subacute back pain occurs when your pain comes and goes within a few days or weeks. It can be difficult to determine the root cause of this pain, which may bring intense discomfort without warning.
You may feel this type of back pain following an injury or if you have an underlying health condition, such as osteoporosis or arthritis. Unfortunately, this type of back pain can be hard to prevent.
Symptoms include:
- Localized or widespread lower back soreness
- Numbness or pins and needles sensations
- Pain ranging from a mild ache to a piercing stab
- Reduced mobility or strength
- Urinary or bowel changes
With proper treatment, this type of pain often improves within a week.
Chronic Back Pain
While acute pain lasts for only a few weeks, chronic low back pain lasts for three months or longer. Because it lasts so long, this pain can significantly impact your daily life.
Chronic pain is often dull or aching, though it may be sharp and shooting.
Along with pain, you may experience other pain symptoms, including:
- Anxiety or depression
- Limited range of motion
- Muscle stiffness or tightness
- Pain radiating into the buttocks or legs
- Sleep problems
- Urinary or bowel changes
Chronic back pain, such as a herniated disc or spinal stenosis, requires ongoing management.
An Additional Type of Pain: Mid-Back Pain
Many cases of acute and chronic back pain affect the lower back. However, you may also experience pain in other areas, such as the middle of your thoracic spine.
Mid-back pain occurs between the base of your neck and the bottom of your ribs. It may result from muscle strain and is often due to overuse, injury, poor posture, osteoarthritis, other health conditions and stress. This type of pain ranges from a burning sensation to sharp, intense pain.
With mid-back pain, you may also experience:
- Loss of bladder or bowel control
- Numbness or tingling
- Weakness
The Importance of Managing Chronic Back Pain
Managing chronic back pain is necessary to reduce symptoms and improve your quality of life.
What Is It Like Living With Chronic Back Pain?
Life with chronic back pain can change day by day. Your pain may not cause problems for a period of time, then it may become unbearable. The shift can be caused by certain activities or for no obvious reason.
When the pain is at its worst, you may have to sit out certain activities, including work. This can lead to lost income and added financial stress. Additionally, you may have a hard time sleeping and feel that others take your pain lightly or don’t understand what you’re experiencing.
These changes can lead to mental health issues, such as depression, or physical disability.
What Happens if Chronic Back Pain Is Left Untreated?
If chronic back pain is caused by a condition such as sciatic nerve compression, it can significantly reduce your quality of life if you don’t get treatment. The pain may continue and worsen. In some cases, you may develop one or more permanent complications, including:
- Difficulty walking
- Drop foot (difficulty lifting the front of your foot while walking)
- Hyperalgesia
- Lower-body paralysis
- Muscle weakness
- Nerve damage
- Paresthesia
- Sexual dysfunction
How to Tell if Back Pain Is Serious
Back pain doesn’t always require medical attention, but certain symptoms that accompany back pain can indicate a serious injury or underlying health condition. These include:
- Blood in urine
- Burning sensation when urinating
- Difficulty walking or maintaining balance
- Pain that extends lower than your knee, wakes you up at night, prevents you from getting comfortable or worsens when you lie down
- Swelling or redness along your spine or back
- Urinary or bladder incontinence
- Weak or numb buttocks, leg, pelvis or thigh
- Weight loss for no known reason
- Worse back pain than felt before
If you have any of these symptoms, contact your medical provider immediately. Imaging exams or other diagnostic testing can help determine the cause of your pain.
3 Tools for Everyday Relief: Sleep, Posture and Muscle Care
1. Better Sleep
Getting enough sleep on the right bed and pillow, in the proper position, all help your back. To ease chronic back pain, follow these tips for a restful night’s sleep.
- Mattress. Replace your mattress at least every decade. Side sleepers may need a softer mattress, while a firm mattress can help those who sleep on their back.
- Pillows. “I recommend foam,” says Dr. Catherine Choi, spine specialist at Summit Orthopedics. “Foam pillows keep your neck in a neutral shape, whether you’re on your side or on your back.”
- Position. Reduce pain by keeping your spine aligned all night long. If you sleep on your stomach, place a pillow under your stomach. A pillow under your knees can reduce back pain if you sleep on your back, and one between your legs can help if you’re a side sleeper.
- Sleep hygiene. Improve your sleep by avoiding caffeine and alcohol before bed, exercising regularly and soaking up a little sun every day. You should also make your bedroom an ideal sleep setting. Use the room only for sleeping and keep it dark, cool and quiet.
2. Better Posture When Standing
You can improve the management of chronic pain by maintaining good posture while on your feet. Here are some tips to help.
- Change your standing position on occasion. “Put one foot on a footrest,” says Summit Orthopedics physical therapist Amanda Feeney, DPT, OCS. “Then alternate your feet every so often.” This can help relieve pressure on your back. Changing your position is also better than anti-fatigue mats, as those mats do not address the underlying problem.
- Exercise, even after work. “Even though exercising can be tiring after a long day standing, it can help strengthen your lower body and your core to help you tolerate those loads,” Feeney says.
- Move during breaks. Use work breaks to stretch or walk around. Sitting is unlikely to help with chronic back pain, so keep moving to find relief.
- Prevent future pains. If you have had a back injury in the past, Feeney recommends you focus on prevention. “Use your PT stretches and exercises before things get bad,” she says. “Set expectations of how long you can stand without pain and set reasonable time limits about how long you can stand before changing positions. You know what your body will be able to tolerate.”
3. Maintain Healthy Muscles
When back pain makes you want to skip the gym or physical therapy, don’t give in. Not exercising can weaken your muscles or worse.
“People can lose muscle mass for a variety of reasons, including lack of exercise due to pain,” Dr. Choi says
When you weaken your muscles or lose muscle mass, your back doesn’t have the support it needs. This results in more back pain.
Maintain more muscle mass and protect your spine with these tips from Dr. Choi.
- Eat healthy foods. Get plenty of protein and omega-3 fatty acids in your diet. Protein helps build muscle, and omega-3s help proteins do their job.
- Exercise regularly. Go for a walk around the neighborhood or hit the local pool. Lift weights and stretch to maintain or even increase muscle mass. Try to get at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise five days a week. Start slowly and increase the duration and intensity as your body adapts.
- Reduce your stress. Excess stress can affect your muscle mass. Practice mindfulness and other stress-relieving techniques to feel more relaxed and maintain your muscles.
- Sleep well. Sleep plays a vital role in your body’s ability to rest, recover and rebuild muscle. Aim for seven to nine hours of shuteye each night.
- Visit your healthcare provider. Health screenings can detect anemia, endocrine disorders, thyroid issues and other conditions that can reduce muscle mass.
FAQs About Chronic Back Pain
What is the best treatment for chronic back pain?
Every case of back pain is unique. Work with your healthcare team to develop a care plan that works for you.
How do doctors diagnose chronic back pain?
Your doctor will likely perform a physical exam and ask about your medical history, family history and symptoms. In some cases, other tests, such as X-ray or MRI, are necessary. These help identify or rule out conditions that may be causing your pain.
Should I avoid activities that cause back pain?
It depends. While you shouldn’t push yourself too hard, some level of movement often helps with back pain. “People are fearful of pain,” Feeney says. “They try to avoid it, which can create more dysfunction and more pain.” Talk with your doctor or physical therapist about which activities you should avoid and which are safe.
Should I rest to treat my back pain?
Staying in bed used to be recommended to reduce back pain. Not any longer. Research has shown that walking or other gentle movement can help you heal faster.
How can I avoid back surgery?
A healthy lifestyle and physical therapy can help reduce your need for back surgery by keeping your problem from getting worse.
What is the core, and why is it important?
Your core is made of your abdominals, back muscles and glutes. These connect to and stabilize the back. That’s why strengthening your core helps control back pain.
In Conclusion
If you’re one of the many people who experience back pain, relief is possible. Proper treatment can help you manage the pain and improve your quality of life.
- Acute back pain goes away within a few days or weeks. Chronic back pain, on the other hand, lasts for at least three months. It is typically in the lower back, but it can affect other areas of the back.
- Chronic back pain can negatively affect your quality of life, especially if left untreated. Over time, untreated chronic back pain can cause permanent disability and other unwanted complications.
- You can reduce your episodes of pain by practicing good sleep hygiene, maintaining good posture when standing, and building and maintaining strong muscles.
Begin your journey toward relief today. Find a spine expert, request an appointment online, or call Summit Orthopedics at (651) 968-5201 to schedule a spine consultation.
