If you are having bouts of back pain you are not alone. More than 100 million people suffer from back pain and chronic pain every year. There are generally two types of back pain, acute back pain and chronic back pain. Acute back pain usually comes from an injury or strain and doesn’t last for more than about 3 months. If you were in a car accident and hurt your back and after a few months of treatment the back pain went away that would be considered acute pain. If you have lingering back pain that lasts longer than 3 months & that may or may not come from an injury, that is considered chronic back pain. Chronic back pain can be a singular condition or it can occur with other medical problems.
The Causes of Chronic Back Pain
One of the mysteries of chronic back pain is the source of the pain. Sometimes there is no identifiable injury that causes the pain, and the pain is usually diffused pain that affects the entire back instead of being localized in one spot. Some autoimmune disorders, like Fibromyalgia, list chronic back pain as a symptom. Sometimes acute back pain becomes chronic back pain. After a back injury has healed the pain may continue even though the source of the pain has healed. Stress and repeated pressure on the back from sitting or standing for long periods of time can also contribute to chronic back pain.
The Symptoms of Chronic Back Pain
The best way to tell if your back pain is acute or chronic is to track how long it has been happening. If your back pain lasts more than three months it may be chronic pain. If it lasts longer than six months it is chronic pain and not acute pain. To keep track of how long your pain has been going on you can use a regular monthly calendar. Put a star or other mark on each day that you have back pain and then you can see how long the pain has been occurring.
Another symptom of chronic back pain is the type of pain that you are having. If the pain you are experiencing is an aching, nagging or diffuse pain rather than pain that is sharp and located in only one spot there’s a good chance that you are experiencing chronic pain.
Other symptoms of chronic back pain include things like fatigue, stiffness, soreness and having trouble sleeping because of pain.
Dr. Cheree provides treatment for chronic back pain! You do not have to live with the pain! We also offer an eBook that provides exercises that help ease low back pain.
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