Treatment Of Chronic Back Pain

Back pain!!! Everybody might have experienced this in their life at least once in their life. That experience may be acute or chronic. There are a wide range of reasons that results in chronic back pain.

Commonly all the pains that affect the back region are termed as back pain. When we study about the causes we can classify as the back pain that affects exactly in the back and the back pain that occurs as referred pain. Let us see in detail:-

• PAIN THAT AFFECTS EXACTLY IN THE BACK

Even this may be due to different causes. To study easily these causes are grouped under various headings.

1. CONGENITAL:-

• • Spina Bifida:- Occurs due to the improper development of the vertebral column of the foetus.
  • Spondylolisthesis:- Caused due to the gradual slipping forward of the lumbar spine on the sacrum that occurs congenitally.

• Hemivertebra and Split Vertebra:- Both conditions are caused due to the developmental failures.

• TRAUMATIC:-

• Lumbosacral Strain

• Injuries to the intervertebral  joints, ligaments and muscles

• Spondylolisthesis:- Caused due to the gradual slipping forward of the lumbar spine on the sacrum due to trauma.

• Compression Fracture

• Fracture of veretebral process (vertebral process is a structure in vertebra)

• Ruptured disc

• FUNCTIONAL DEFECTS:-

• Anteroposterior Imbalance:- Caused  due to pregnancy, Pot belly etc.)
• Lateral imbalance:– May be due to Scoliosis, discrepancy of the length of the leg etc.

Scoliosis:- The deviation of spine to one side is called as Scoliosis.

• INFLAMMATORY:-

• Pyogenic osteomyelitis:- This is an inflammation of bone caused by an infecting organism.

• Tuberculosis:- In this, low back pain is usually seen in the cases where tuberculosis affect structures outside lung, e.g. Spine.

• Arthritis:- The pain and inflammation of joints.

• Brucellosis:- A systemic, infectious disease caused by the bacteria, Brucella.

• Ankylosing Spondylitis:- It is a type of a arthritis in which there is long term inflammation of the joints of the spine.

• Myositis:– Inflammation of the muscles.

• Fibrositis:– Pain or inflammation of the muscle sheaths, muscles and connective-tissue layers of the bones, tendons, muscles and joints.

• DEGENERATIVE:-

• Osteoarthritis:- A type of joint disease that results from breakdown of joint cartilage and underlying bone.

• Senile Osteoporosis:– In this, the density of bone is reduced due to calcium deficiency.

• Degenerative disc disease

• NEOPLASTIC:-

• Primary tumors:- e.g. multiple myeloma etc
• Metastatic tumors:-  Such tumors from breast, bronchus, kidney, prostate, thyroid and gastrointestinal tract.
• THE BACK PAIN THAT OCCURS AS REFERRED PAIN
• ABDOMINAL DISORDERS:-

For example:- pancreatitis (inflammation of pancrease), cholecystitis (inflammation of  gall bladder), Peptic ulcer etc.

• PELVIC DISORDERS:-

For example:- Inflammatory conditions of ovary or tubes etc

• GENITO URINARY CAUSES:-

For example:-  renal infection, prostitis etc.

• VASCULAR DISORDERS

TREATMENTS OF CHRONIC BACK PAIN

Chronic back pain is treated according to the cause. When it occurs as referred pain, corresponding disease is treated. In other cases, the underlying cause is ruled out and treatment is done accordingly.

In Ayurveda, the back pain is treated under Vata Rogas. A wide range of treatments are used to treat Vata Rogas.

• Panchakarmas
• Abhyangam:- The massaging of the body with medicated oils.
• Kati Vasthi:- A well like structure is created on the lower back and medicated oil is poured and made to stay in the well for a specified time.
• Svedana Karma:- Sudation therapy
• Kizhi:- Boluses are made using different things like medicated powders, processed leaves, processed lemons, processed eggs, sand etc.
• Dhanyamla Dhara:– A specially medicated liquid is made and poured all over the body.
• Pizhichil:- Pouring of medicated oil continuously over the body.

There are a wide variety of treatments for Vata Rogas other than those mentioned above. Same treatment can be done for different diseases by changing the medicines used in it. That depends on the physician and the condition of the patient.

REFERENCES:-

• www.wikipedia.com
• A Concise Textbook of Surgery
• Principles and Practice of Panchakarma