Back Pain Causes And Effects Biology Essay

Back Pain Causes And Effects Biology Essay According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorder and Stroke (NINDS) back pain is considered one of the most common disabling conditions, being the second most common neurological disorder after headache in the USA and affecting almost 60% of the general population. The essay discusses in details and aided by the latest studies, the various causes of this disease including obesity, occupational hazards, pregnancy, sports and the natural aging process. Also, utilizing the best diagnostic approaches to reach to the proper cause of the back pain and therefore the appropriate modality of treatment. Finally and to sum the issue, I would like to emphasize on the best line of treatment in back pain which is the prevention, elimination of the potential causes, risk factors and the need of more research and for better management of back pain. Back Pain: Causes and Effects Back pain is considered to be the second most common neurological disorder after headache in the United States of America (USA) according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorder and Stroke (NINDS) in USA (2003). Nearly everybody had experienced the episode of back pain in different severity, timing, age and with variety of associated causes. Prevalence estimates suggests that 70-85 % of adults will experience low back pain during a given year and 30% will seek treatment for this problem. The health institutions are paying a large number of money treating back pain all over the world because of the high incidence of the complains and the various degree of disabilities caused by acute and chronic back pain (Andersson, 1999). To fully understand back pain, a glance of the back anatomy will be of great help. The back is a complex structure consisting of 24 small bones (vertebrae) that support the weight of your upper body and form a protective canal for the spinal cord which carries nerve signals from the brain to the rest of the body. Between each consecutive vertebra are found the shock-absorbing discs (intervertebral discs) that cushion the bones and allow the spines to bend, held all together by Ligaments, Tendons and Muscles. The lower part of the back is known as the lumbar region, which is made up of five vertebrae, known as L1, L2, L3, L4 and L5. The lumbar supports the entire weight of the upper body (plus any extra weight that you are carrying), and it is under constant pressure, particularly when bending, twisting and lifting (Smeltzer, S & Bare, B, 2000). Though the presence of huge number of literatures and researches has been conducted to discuss the causes and effects of back pain, there has still been a matter of controversy among medical researchers. However, the causes of back pain were categorized according to the effects with the associated signs and symptoms the victims describe, as well as the physical fitness of the targets. In fact, most back problems are probably the result of a combination of factors. Some factors, such as family histo ry, aren’t preventable. You can control other factors, such as weight, fitness and flexibility, by changing your lifestyle. This essay will discuss the main causes and effects of back pain, but it will also put on the light on the associated signs and symptoms, as well as the most common treatments used.