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What To Do When Acute Back Pain Becomes Chronic

Back pain is one of the most common reasons why people go in to visit their doctors and other healthcare professionals each and every year. This is in no small part due to the fact that back pain can be caused by a truly wide variety of reasons, from injuries and strains to arthritis and general overuse of the muscles. What's more is that back pain can manifest in a number of different ways, and can be primarily centered in either the upper or lower back area.

Most of the time, people who are generally healthy who wake up one day to experience some form of back pain are usually dealing with an acute pain condition that can almost always be dealt with and taken care of with simple measures. However, when acute back pain is left untreated, it can eventually turn into chronic back pain, which can be much more difficult to treat successfully, let alone prevent from returning at a later future date. I recently came across an article posted by Spine Health that discusses the difference between acute and chronic back pain, as well as what to do in order to improve either of these conditions. Here is what I learned. 

If you are unsure whether your back pain is acute or chronic, here are some basic guidelines. Acute pain tends to come on suddenly, right after a trauma or injury was sustained, yet tends to gradually fade before eventually heaing up in a matter of weeks. Chronic back pain is classified as lasting longer than three months, and unfortunately, it tends to increase in severity as time goes on, since it is a progressive health condition. Sometimes, sustaining and injury or strain to the back is inevitable, but you want to do your best to keep that condition from becoming chronic and causing you health problems for months or even years down the line. As soon as you notice any sort of ache, pain, or stiffness in any part of your back, be sure to see a doctor and practice preventative measures right away, such as resting the area and applying ice packs.

Once the pain has become chronic, you may benefit from seeing a chiropractor on a regular basis in order to strengthen the health of the spine while also receiving pain relief. Feel free to ask your chiropractor about any tips that they can provide regarding habits you can practice at home for better back and spine health, such as particular stretches or yoga poses.

Used under Creative Commons Licensing courtesy of KMo Foto

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