Back pain is the third leading cause across the globe for visiting a doctor. It usually goes away on its own and almost 90% of the people suffering from lower back pain recover within a few weeks. The pain may be sudden or gradual in onset and it may be of sharp or dull. It can range from mild to severe and it may be felt intermittently or continuously.
The most frequently occurring type of back pain is mechanical back pain that affect the lower back. It is the type of back pain which is aggravated by certain activities or enhanced by some specific positions, for example, sitting for a prolonged period of time.
Back pain in the lumbar region can also be categories based on the following – chronic or acute low back pain.
Acute pain tends to last for short periods of time. This type of back pain is reduced or completely relieved by taking rest. It is a good thing that the symptoms are usually relieved with the passage of time. However, if the pain persists beyond 6 – 8 weeks, additional diagnostic modalities are needed to diagnose and treat the underlying cause, as it may be that your pain may become chronic.
What are the Clinical Features?
The first symptom of lower back pain is pain in the lumbosacral region. The other signs and symptoms are:
1. Radiation of Pain
Lower back pain may radiate to the back of one or both thighs, front or sides of thighs and lower legs or it may be localized (confined to the area of the pain’s source).
2. Worsening of Pain
This type of back pain usually aggravates with activity.
3. Effect of Posture
Commonly the pain worsens at night or during prolonged periods of continuous sitting such as during office work, sitting in front of the TV, or during a long car trip, and can strain back muscles.
4. Numbness and Weakness
The affected person may feel numbness, weakness or tingling sensations in the regions of upper or lower limbs that receive the nerve supply from the pinched or compressed nerve.
5. Difficulty in Plantar Flexion
The patient may feel difficulty in the plantar flexion of the foot. It makes the patient unable to stand on toes. It is not possible to move the affected foot in the downward direction. This happens due to compression or injury at the level of the first sacral nerve.
6. Inability to raise Big Toe
When the fifth lumbar nerve is compressed or injured, it is not possible for the affected person to raise the big toe of the affected side in the upward direction.
Does Acute Back Pain Get Better on its Own?
It is good to know that even if the exact underlying cause of back problems is not defined, commonly acute pain is relieved spontaneously with the passage of time, without the need for pain killers. The originally inflamed tissues heal with the passage of time as well.
Almost fifty to sixty percent of back pain episodes settle completely within a fortnight and eighty percent by six weeks. It is true, however, that the severity and duration of a single episode cannot be predicted on the base of initial severity, onset, location, and type of pain.
In many cases, an excruciating type of pain can usually be relieved within the span of a few days, while mild to moderate pain continues for weeks. Among the persons suffering from back pain, almost thirty percent of the patients suffer from chronic pain or recurrent pain in the future.
How to Treat and Prevent Back Pain?
If the pain lasts for more than a few weeks, or it keeps coming back, you may not be addressing the underlying cause. Many cases of acute pain that keeps recurring are caused by compression of the spine. To relieve this pain, you can use a device called the Backrack, which is an orthopaedic device that stretches out your spine, reducing stress on your back, in order to provide long-term pain relief.
The device enables you to treat and prevent all back problems without any pain relievers or painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen, and in the comfort of your own home. It’s a 100% safe, natural back pain treatment recommended by world top spinal specialists, as it utilises a special set of exercises to relieve pain.

Backrack Spinal Decompression Device
Author: Spinal Backrack