Have you been suffering from lower back pain that gets worse over time? Does this pain come during certain times? You may be suffering from axial back pain.
What is axial back pain?
Axial back pain refers to back pain that is mechanical in nature, as opposed to a different kind of back pain, which is called inflammatory. In other words, axial back pain is back pain that is caused by mechanical factors, which will be discussed further down in this article.
Causes
There are a variety of causes for this medical condition, most of which affect the lumbar spine, leading to axial low back pain. However, any section of the spine can be affected by mechanical pain.
Below you can find some of the reasons most commonly associated with axial pain along the back.
- Muscle strains.
- Poor posture (including poor sitting habits and bad lifting methods).
- Facet joint syndrome pain
- Spinal stenosis.
- Compression of the nerves that go through the spinal canal.
- Discogenic origins, such as a prolapsed disc or degenerative disc disease.
- Tumours at the level of the spinal cord.
- Other spinal conditions.
Posture plays an important role when talking about back health, and it is oftentimes easy to overlook and neglect. It may make little to no difference at first when your posture worsens, but when these poor posture practices are carried out over and over again, the little damage they do adds up for back complications.
It must also be noted that unlike other back conditions, axial back pain does not travel to other parts of the body and stays in the affected area. In other words, it does not manifest as radicular pain.
Symptoms
As previously mentioned, axial back pain stays local and does not affect other areas of the body and it typically includes one main symptom that manifests locally: back (or neck) pain. For some people it may manifest as a dull pain, while for others it may be sharp.
Diagnosis & Treatment
Before we discuss the diagnosis and treatment processes, please note that this article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a substitute for professional medical advice. If you suspect that you might be suffering from axial back pain or any other form of spinal condition, seek professional medical advice as soon as possible, so that you can get appropriate care.
The diagnosis process tends to start with the physician conducting a physical examination and taking a history. During this examination, your physician will take a closer look at the exact area that is being affected.
When a definitive diagnosis has been achieved, your doctor will then discuss the treatment options that are available to treat your condition.
Due to the nature of this condition, the best course of treatment is usually therapeutic in nature. Although other treatment options are available for axial back pain, they are more invasive, and not usually recommended due to the possible side effects that come with them, as well as the short-lived nature of the back pain relief they provide.
Typically, treatment options for this type of pain include:
- Physical therapy.
- Medication that is suitable for pain that is caused by mechanical factors.
- Resting and allowing the affected area to recover, placing as little pressure on it as possible, and avoiding any further injury.
- For people who suffer from chronic pain (including chronic low back pain) pain that does not improve with the methods mentioned above, as well as with time, spinal cord stimulation or even back surgery (such as spinal fusion) may be considered to fix the problem.
However, you may also use the Spinal Backrack to massage and stretch out your spine to reduce the effects of spinal compression on your back.
Treatment & Backrack Technology
Physical therapy is the most recommended way of treating axial back pain. Physical therapy can be done on its own without the aid of anything else, or like with any other spinal condition, it can be made better with a tool designed specifically for it. The Backrack is one such tool.
Backrack Therapy for Back Pain Relief
This medical device comes with a set of specially designed physical exercises. These exercises help target different areas of the back that might be affected, and they all require only the use of a single Backrack.
The Backrack is already being used by chiropractors and physiotherapists to help people manage back pain. However, you can also use it from the comfort of your own home, without the need for supervision. It is meant to be an independent form of self-treatment that is easily performed.
Author: Spinal Backrack
