subject: Chiropractor Warrenville Il | Back Pain? Chronic Or Acute - What Is The Difference? [print this page] At some point in our lives, 80% of all Americans are going to experience back pain. Back pain is becoming a common complaint heard by doctors, health practitioners and in emergency care facilitates all over the country. Back pain can occur when you least expect it, and for what appears to be an ordinary incident.
One would think that a slight sneezing fit or a cough to clear your throat is innocent enough, but the simple act of sneezing or coughing or just bending over to pet the cat can cause muscles to strain or sprain and cause extreme pain. Regardless of how you hurt your back, the pain can be unbearable.
There are two types of pain; chronic and acute. Back pain can occur with both. Chronic back pain is often described as a deep, aching dull pain in one area of the back and comes on slowly. People who suffer from this type of back pain have often reported a tingling or numbness sensation that at times will travel down the legs. Chronic back pain tends to last for long periods of time, and because it sometimes resists standard medical treatments, it can make life miserable for those who suffer from it. They find every day activities very difficult or nearly impossible to perform.
Acute pain is the result of over stretched or strained muscles and ligaments. Acute back pain comes on suddenly, is sharp in nature and attacks more than one area of the back. And like certain injuries it happens fast and it's painful. Acute pain is severe immediately after an injury and may worsen during the first few hours of an injury. Acute back pain can happen at any time, but unlike chronic pain, acute pain is not resistant to standard medical treatments. In many people with back pain their acute pain will eventually become chronic pain.
There are a few things you can do, in addition to what your doctor recommends, to help lessen or alleviate your back pain. First take your back pain seriously, don't ignore it and if it persists after an injury for more than 24 hours, see a doctor. In everyday life practice good posture, especially if you work at a desk all day. Always stretch before doing any activity as this will loosen your muscles and ligaments and get them ready to work for you. Even a daily half hour walk around your neighborhood three times a week will help to straighten your spine and align your posture.
Whether it's acute or chronic, back pain can disrupt everyday life. Being in constant pain, be it a dull ache or a sharp stab, can take the joy out of life. However, it can be treated with attention to the initial injury, doctor recommended treatments, physical therapy and patience. Be careful out there.
