Stand Tall

How to keep back troubles behind you.

What do sex, money and power have to do with back pain? If they’re adding stress to your life, they could be causing or exacerbating your back troubles.

"Some people wear their stress in their back," says Peter Rappa, M.D., a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist on the medical staff at Baylor Medical Center at Irving. “If you’re facing family or job pressures, the best thing you can do to avoid back pain is resolve strong emotional stresses in your life.”

Aerobic conditioning is also key. "People who are in good aerobic shape seem to be more immune to back problems," Dr. Rappa says. And exercise is often good therapy for people recovering from back injuries. Aerobic exercise—biking, walking or swimming—releases endorphins, which are natural pain relievers.

Watch your posture too. Your head weighs 10 to 12 pounds, and it’s meant to sit directly on top of your spine. If it’s chronically forward—typical when you’re talking on the phone, using a computer or watching TV—you can stress the spine.

Dr. Rappa says he generally sees back problems that fall into these categories:

Strain or overuse injuries. These usually go away in a week to 10 days and can be treated with heat and ibuprofen. Lack of abdominal muscle strength can lead to this strain.

Slipped or herniated disc. The back’s discs are like tires flipped on their sides, cushioning the vertebrae. They can tear, causing pain, but they can heal.

Pinched nerves. Severe herniated discs can cause nerve pain. Because nerves control movement and sensation, these injuries are more problematic.

The first course of treatment for back pain is heat, ice and abdominal support. Next are medications: overthe-counter or prescription pain relievers, spasm reducers and antidepressants. “We use these not because the person is depressed, but because we know they affect the nervous system to decrease the pain response,” Dr. Rappa says. For nerve pain, doctors may recommend nerve stabilizers or seizure medications.

If after four to six weeks your symptoms haven’t subsided, doctors can inject steroids directly into the injured area. And if all of these options fail, doctors can often operate to repair your back problems.

By Stephanie Thurrott

Have pain in your back? Call the Baylor Spine Center in Irving at 1-877-722-9567.