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Oh My Aching Back: Some Interesting Facts About Back Pain


We've all been there a time or two. You reach down to pick something up off the floor, slip on that icy side walk or turn just right and are struck by a white hot pain in your back. In most cases the pain drags on for a few days or a few weeks and disappears almost as quickly as it came. In other cases, it seems to hang on and on before gradually getting better. Since most people have suffered from Fort Collins back pain at one time or another, it might prove helpful to be armed with some facts about this pain.

You Are Not Alone

When your back hurts or aches to the point where you can't do everything you want to do or even should do, it can make you feel left out and lonely. However, statistics prove that when you are suffering from that pain in the back you are definitely not alone.

* 80 to 90% of adults will suffer from back pain at one point or another throughout their lives.
* It is estimated that 10% of visits to doctor’s offices on any given day are made by patients who are experiencing back pain. Americans spend about $24,000,000.00 at medical offices and clinics for back treatments and medications each year.
* Most people say that their Fort Collins back pain improved within 2 weeks and most people are completely free of their pain within 3 months if not sooner
* 10% to 20 % of people suffering from back pain have pain as long as a full year.
* Most people suffer pain in the lower back.

The Majority Of Back Pain Is Caused By One Thing

While Fort Collins back pain can and is caused by a number of things. The majority of the people suffering from a pain in the back got that pain due to muscle strain. Improper lifting, twisting, turning and even a slip can cause your muscles to pull and tear. In many cases, most people don't even know what they did to cause the muscle strain all they know is that it aches.

Time Heals

In many cases that pain in the back you are feeling is most likely going to heal itself given a little time. This is especially true if your pain is due to strained muscles. For that reason, the first treatment doctors recommend for Fort Collins back pain is rest. They encourage you to limit the amount of twisting, lifting, and bending you do until your back has time to start healing itself.

Other treatments may include: Hot and cold packs to relieve pain and swelling, anti inflammatory medication and once the muscles have begun to heal light exercise to strengthen the muscles to help prevent further injury.

Armed with these facts, the next time you hear someone say "Oh my aching back!" you'll be able to inform them that not only are they not alone but, that time will most likely heal that aching back, just not as quickly as they hope it will.