Specific back pain is secondary to a clear condition, like a fracture due to a trauma, or a structural spine pathology like hernia, disc protrusion, or something worse (cancer). Less than 10% of adult population has this type of back pain, therefore specific back pain is rare.

Unspecific back pain is the most common, with a 95.5% of back pain population. It has no clear cause. Unspecific back pain is usually based on a functional problem, like muscle stiffness. By releasing the tension in the muscles, for example using heat and movement, back pain improves and usually does not leave any consequential damage. This kind of back pain gets better in 2 weeks to 6 months.

Acute back pain is from the onset to 4 weeks: pain is due to the acute antinflammatory process.

Subacute back pain lasts from 4 weeks to 6 weeks from the onset. Exercise therapy combined with heat therapy can help against subacute back pain.

If you ignore the body’s own warning signals, the pain will come back more regularly and intensely at some point. Chronic back pain lasts longer than 6 weeks. Persistent back pain overloads and changes the nervous system so much that the overstimulation itself becomes a trigger and the pain persists even after the actual cause has been healed. There are numerous pain-relieving treatment options, such as heat therapy, which can be implemented to regain quality of life. In the long term, however, those affected mainly benefit from exercise. Stiff muscles should not be shut down, but rather relaxed during yoga training, for example, or strengthened again through exercises from back training.

Neck pain can be acute or subacute, as well as chronic. The pain often radiates to the head, shoulders and arms. There are a lot of causes which can lead to neck pain, in fact this pathology is multifactorial. We can distinguish between biological factors (muscle, hernia, etc…), psychological factors (stress) and ociological factors (work, family). A sedentary lifestyle is one of the main factors which can lead to back pain. You can find out more about neck back pain in our guide.

If back pain occurs in the thoracic spine, is mostly caused by dysfunction of the rib and vertebral joints or by irritation and illness of large muscle groups in the thoracic spine.

A large part of back pain occurs in the lower back because the lumbar spine is very susceptible to damage and injury. Pain can be caused by overuse of the muscles. You can find out more about low back pain in our guide.

Back pain: Biological factors

· Wear and tear on the intervertebral disc or vertebral body, rheumatism · Injuries, such as whiplash injuries or fractures · Skeletal diseases such as osteoporosis (bone loss), ankylosing spondylitis (stiffening of the thoracic and lumbar spine), scoliosis (curvature of the spine) or Scheuermann’s disease (hunched back, caused by growth disorders in children between the ages of 11 and 15 years old) · Tumors on the spine · mechanical causes, such as a pinched nerve · congenital causes: Spina bifida (open spinal canal) · Wear and tear on the joints (osteoarthritis) · poor posture (e.g. from sitting too long at work)

Back pain: psychological factors

· Stress · Depression · Mental conflicts · Fear With back pain, things also start in the mind. Anyone who “has something difficult to put up with” can be hit by stress and psychological strain. The muscles tense when stress, fear and other emotional conflicts are suppressed and can lead to psychologically-related back pain.

Back pain: When should you go to the doctor?

If you have back pain, you should consult a doctor if you have persistent severe pain that does not get better with exercise and therapy. Medical advice should also be sought immediately if you feel numbness or sharp pain.

Where does back pain come from?

Back pain is a multi-factorial pathology, so multiple factors can cause it. They can be biological, psychological or sociological, and can be triggered, for example, by stress or emotional conflicts as well as by muscle tension, injuries, skeletal disorders or other causes.

Where can back pain radiate to?

Upper back pain can radiate to the shoulders, neck, head. Low back pain often radiates towards the coccyx and thighs.

How long does back pain last?

Acute back pain can last up to 4 weeks. Subacute back pain lasts between 4 and 8 weeks, chronic back pain for more than 8 weeks.

How can back pain be prevented?

Back pain can be prevented with active and regular exercise. Strong abdominal and back muscles help the spine with its support function and thereby prevent back pain.

How do you notice any inflammation in your back?

Resting pain has more likely an inflammatory cause, so if you feel pain while resting it’s probably caused by inflammation. However, only medical professionals can finally determine whether there is actually an inflammation and how it should be treated.

Back pain

Back pain is widespread in the western world due to a lack of exercise and a lifestyle characterised by everyday office life. Learn more about the types, symptoms, and treatment of back pain here.

Argomenti correlati:

Back pain is one of the most common disease in the World, with the highest percentage of lost working days. Almost everyone in his/her life, had, has, or will have al least one episode of back pain. 50 % of abscences from work is due to back pain. This becomes a problem for employers and the general public: The numerous days off due to back problems and the rising health costs have to be compensated.
The consequences for the person affected are even more noticeable: Partly severe acute or even chronic back pain, limited mobility in everyday life and a decimated quality of life are associated with this common ailment.

Types of back pain

There are two different types of back pain, specific or unspecific.

Specific back pain: Specific back pain is secondary to a clear condition, like a fracture due to a trauma, or a structural spine pathology like hernia, disc protrusion, or something worse (cancer). Less than 10% of adult population has this type of back pain, therefore specific back pain is rare.
Unspecific back pain: Unspecific back pain is the most common, with a 95.5% of back pain population. It has no clear cause. Unspecific back pain is usually based on a functional problem, like muscle stiffness. By releasing the tension in the muscles, for example using heat and movement, back pain improves and usually does not leave any consequential damage. This kind of back pain gets better in 2 weeks to 6 months.

Duration of back pain: acute, subacute, chronic

Back pain can also be distinguished by the time passed by the onset in Acute, Subacute and Chronic.

Acute: Acute back pain is from the onset to 4 weeks: pain is due to the acute antinflammatory process.
Subacute: Subacute back pain lasts from 4 weeks to 6 weeks from the onset. Exercise therapy combined with heat therapy can help against subacute back pain.
Chronic: If you ignore the body’s own warning signals, the pain will come back more regularly and intensely at some point. Chronic back pain lasts longer than 6 weeks.
Persistent back pain overloads and changes the nervous system so much that the overstimulation itself becomes a trigger and the pain persists even after the actual cause has been healed. There are numerous pain-relieving treatment options, such as heat therapy, which can be implemented to regain quality of life.
In the long term, however, those affected mainly benefit from exercise. Stiff muscles should not be shut down, but rather relaxed during yoga training, for example, or strengthened again through exercises from back training.

Back pain: Localisation of the pain

Back pain can be differentiated by its location.

Neck pain: Neck pain can be acute or subacute, as well as chronic. The pain often radiates to the head, shoulders and arms. There are a lot of causes which can lead to neck pain, in fact this pathology is multifactorial. We can distinguish between biological factors (muscle, hernia, etc…), psychological factors (stress) and ociological factors (work, family). A sedentary lifestyle is one of the main factors which can lead to back pain. You can find out more about neck back pain in our guide.
Upper back pain: If back pain occurs in the thoracic spine, is mostly caused by dysfunction of the rib and vertebral joints or by irritation and illness of large muscle groups in the thoracic spine.
Low Back pain: A large part of back pain occurs in the lower back because the lumbar spine is very susceptible to damage and injury. Pain can be caused by overuse of the muscles. You can find out more about low back pain in our guide.

Back pain: Causes of the discomfort

Back pain is a multi-factorial pathology. We can distinguish three main factors: biological, psychological and sociological. The solution to the problem therefore is not only one, wehave to think to all the factors involved in the onset of back pain to treat it correctly.

Back pain: Biological factors: · Wear and tear on the intervertebral disc or vertebral body, rheumatism
· Injuries, such as whiplash injuries or fractures
· Skeletal diseases such as osteoporosis (bone loss), ankylosing spondylitis (stiffening of the thoracic and lumbar spine), scoliosis (curvature of the spine) or Scheuermann’s disease (hunched back, caused by growth disorders in children between the ages of 11 and 15 years old)
· Tumors on the spine
· mechanical causes, such as a pinched nerve
· congenital causes: Spina bifida (open spinal canal)
· Wear and tear on the joints (osteoarthritis)
· poor posture (e.g. from sitting too long at work)
Back pain: psychological factors: · Stress
· Depression
· Mental conflicts
· Fear

With back pain, things also start in the mind. Anyone who “has something difficult to put up with” can be hit by stress and psychological strain. The muscles tense when stress, fear and other emotional conflicts are suppressed and can lead to psychologically-related back pain.
Back pain: Sociological factors: • Work
• Family
• Sport

Back pain: Recognition of symptoms

Before the onset of back pain, there may be some signs to be aware of. In this way, back pain can be fought as it arises. If the following symptoms occur, it is advisable to pay more attention to your back in order to prevent problems.

· physical exhaustion
· limited mobility
· tingling
· paralysis on the legs or arms
· joint stiffness in the morning
· sudden sharp pain or muscle pain
· Pain while standing up
· feeling weak
· tight muscles

The precursors of pain initially appear to be fairly generic and cannot necessarily be identified as back pain symptoms without a doctor’s analysis. In particular, people who have previously been spared back problems often do not associate these everyday problems with any potential back problems. The symptomatic initial stage of back pain is easily overlooked. In the case of obvious physical symptoms such as numbness or sharp pain, medical advice should be sought immediately.

Back pain therapy and treatment

Since the causes of neck and back pain can be very different, the therapy should be personalized. What is certain is that complaints of this kind must be treated immediately before a pain memory is formed to prevent the chronicization of pain. ThermaCare® for back pain works with therapeutic deep heat of approx. 40 °C to relieve unspecific back pain.

THERMACARE® for back pain

for the treatment of muscular tension and pain in the lower back

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Back pain: When should you go to the doctor?: If you have back pain, you should consult a doctor if you have persistent severe pain that does not get better with exercise and therapy. Medical advice should also be sought immediately if you feel numbness or sharp pain.
Where does back pain come from?: Back pain is a multi-factorial pathology, so multiple factors can cause it. They can be biological, psychological or sociological, and can be triggered, for example, by stress or emotional conflicts as well as by muscle tension, injuries, skeletal disorders or other causes.
Where can back pain radiate to?: Upper back pain can radiate to the shoulders, neck, head. Low back pain often radiates towards the coccyx and thighs.
How long does back pain last?: Acute back pain can last up to 4 weeks. Subacute back pain lasts between 4 and 8 weeks, chronic back pain for more than 8 weeks.
How can back pain be prevented?: Back pain can be prevented with active and regular exercise. Strong abdominal and back muscles help the spine with its support function and thereby prevent back pain.
How do you notice any inflammation in your back?: Resting pain has more likely an inflammatory cause, so if you feel pain while resting it’s probably caused by inflammation. However, only medical professionals can finally determine whether there is actually an inflammation and how it should be treated.

Back pain

Argomenti correlati:

Types of back pain

Duration of back pain: acute, subacute, chronic

Back pain: Localisation of the pain

Back pain: Causes of the discomfort

Back pain: Recognition of symptoms

Back pain therapy and treatment

THERMACARE® for back pain

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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Argomenti correlati:

Types of back pain

Duration of back pain: acute, subacute, chronic

Back pain: Localisation of the pain

Back pain: Causes of the discomfort

Back pain: Recognition of symptoms

Back pain therapy and treatment

THERMACARE® for back pain

Exercises to relieve back pain

Heat for back pain

What you can do to relieve back pain in the long term