World Spine Day 2021

World Spine Day 2021: In 2021, we'll celebrate World Spine Day with the theme Back2Back! Every year, on 16 October, the world celebrates World Spine Day. In a worldwide effort to reduce the global burden of disease, the theme emphasizes the need to reset and refocus on spinal pain and disability. According to the World Health Organization, 540 million people suffer from low back pain at any given time, making it one of the leading causes of disability. The day also raises awareness of the lack of affordable spine care and rehabilitation available in under-served communities, which creates chronic conditions and permanent deformities.

Table of Content

• World Spine Day: What is it?
• Back Pain: What it is?
• Who is affected by Back Pain?
• Back Pain: What Causes It?
• Back Pain: Can It Be Prevented?
• Back Pain: When Do One Needs to See a doctor?
• Back Pain: How Is It Diagnosed?
• Chronic Pain vs. Acute Pain: What's the Difference?
• What Are the Treatments for Back Pain?
• Preventing back pain can be achieved by following these tips

The goals of Back2Back are to provide information about how to help our spines by remaining mobile, avoiding physical inactivity, not overloading ourselves and adopting healthy habits such as quitting smoking and losing weight. Presented by health professions and organizations concerned with spine care, World Spine Day is the largest global public health event devoted to spinal health and wellbeing. Spinal pain and disability will be surrounded by a "Back2Back" campaign at home, at work, in school, and in our communities.

World Spine Day: What is it?

In observance of World Spine Day on October 16, it raises awareness of spinal pain and disability across the globe. Each continent of the world celebrates World Spine Day by hosting health professionals, exercise and rehabilitation experts, community members, and schoolchildren. Spinal health and well-being are highlighted on World Spine Day. The initiative emphasizes the benefits of staying active, having good posture, lifting responsibly, and maintaining healthy working conditions as a way for people to take care of their spines.

The number of people suffering from spinal pain worldwide is estimated at one billion. People from all walks of life are affected by it, and it causes the greatest number of disabilities globally. To prevent or effectively manage back pain, World Spine Day and other events will encourage people to take steps to take care of their spines. Patients with spinal pain and disabilities often lack access to conventional healthcare resources in under-served areas. It is vital to help people manage their spinal health conditions themselves as many countries lack spinal health professionals. Many millions of people, including many of those in high-income countries, suffer from back pain, resulting in significant economic and social impacts.

Back Pain: What it is?

There are different types of back pain, from dull, constant aches to sharp, sudden pain which prevents you from moving around easily. An accident or lifting something too heavy can trigger it quickly, or it can happen gradually over time.

Who is affected by Back Pain?

Back pain can be caused by a variety of factors, including:

• The process of ageing. The older you get, the more likely you are to get back pain. It is common to get back pain in your 30s and 40s.
• The body is not in good shape. People who are not fit are likely to suffer from back pain more often.
• Having an overweight condition. Eating a high fat and calorie diet can lead to weight gain. Being overweight can lead to back pain and strain.
• There may be a genetic component to back pain, too, such as ankylosing spondylitis, an arthritic condition that affects the spine.
• Affected by the other diseases. Back pain can occur from certain types of arthritis and cancer.
• The job you have. You can experience back pain when lifting, pulling, pushing, or twisting your spine. Back pain is also possible if you sit down all day at a desk and do not stand up straight.
• In case you smoke, it may not be possible for your back to receive enough nutrients. Smokers may also experience back pain due to their cough. The body takes longer to heal when the person smokes, so back pain may persist longer.
• The race is also a factor. The lower spine is more likely to slip out of place in black women than in white women, for example.

Back Pain: What Causes It?

Several factors can contribute to back pain. Back pain can be brought on by mechanical problems. A few examples are:

• Breakdown of the disk
• Spasticity
• Muscle tension
• Disks that have ruptured
• Back pain is a common condition following sprains, fractures, accidents, and falls.

Other causes of back pain include:

• Having scoliosis
• Spondylolisthesis 
• The arthritis
• Stenosis of the spine
• Maternity
• Having kidney stones
• Contaminations
• Endometriosis
• Infections, tumours, and stress can also cause back pain.

Back Pain: Can It Be Prevented?

Preventing back pain involves:

• Strengthen your back muscles by exercising frequently.
• Keeping your weight in check or losing weight if you are overweight. Every day, take enough calcium and vitamin D to keep your bones strong.
• If you can, try not to lift too much weight. Keep your back straight and bend your knees if you need to lift something heavy.

Back Pain: When Do One Needs to See a doctor?

If you experience the following symptoms, you should consult a doctor:

• A feeling of numbness or tingling
• No improvement with rest from severe pain
• The pain that results from a fall or an injury

If you have pain and any of these problems:

• Urination problems
• Weaknesses
• A feeling of numbness in your legs
• Having a fever
• Losing weight without dieting.

Back Pain: How Is It Diagnosed?

You will need to provide the doctor with a medical history and undergo a physical examination to determine the source of your back pain. Additional tests may be prescribed, including:

• The X-ray
• MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
• CT (Computed Tomography) scan
• Testing of blood.

Chronic Pain vs. Acute Pain: What's the Difference?

Symptoms of acute pain begin quickly and last for less than six weeks. Back pain that causes acute pain is the most common. People can experience acute pain when they fall, are tackled in football, or lift heavy objects. There is a significantly lower incidence of chronic pain compared to acute pain since chronic pain persists for more than 3 months.

What Are the Treatments for Back Pain?

The type of back pain you have will determine the type of treatment you need. It is usually possible to get rid of acute back pain without taking medication, but you may want to take acetaminophen, aspirin, or ibuprofen during this time. When it comes to acute back pain, neither exercise nor surgery is typically recommended.

Chronic back pain can be treated in several ways:

Use of Hot or Cold Packs (if necessary, use Both)

Sore, stiff backs can be soothed with hot or cold packs. A warm pack can help provide pain relief. In addition, the cold reduces swelling and relieves deep pain. Cold or hot packs may relieve back pain, but they do little to fix the cause of chronic discomfort.

Exercising for Back Pain:

Chronic back pain can be eased with exercise but shouldn't be treated with it in acute situations. It is best to talk with a medical professional or physical therapist about what types of exercises would be best for you.

Treatment with Medicines for Back Pain:

Medications commonly used for back pain include:

• A painful condition can be relieved with over the counter or prescription medications such as acetaminophen and aspirin.
• An analgesic cream, ointment, or salve is applied to the area of pain to treat pain.
• Pain and swelling can be reduced with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). As an example of an NSAID drug, ibuprofen, ketoprofen, and naproxen sodium are over-the-counter medicines. Your doctor may prescribe stronger NSAIDs.
• Certain types of chronic back pain can be treated with muscle relaxants and antidepressants, but these medications do not work for all types of back pain.
• Changes in behaviour - Lifting, pushing, and pulling can be done with less strain on your back. You can improve your back pain by changing your sleeping and exercising habits. Quitting smoking and eating well can also help.

Using Injections for Back Pain:

Steroid injections or numbing shots may be recommended by your physician to ease your pain.

Treatments that include Complementary and Alternative Methods:

• Alternative and complementary treatments are sometimes used to treat chronic back pain or when other treatments don't work. Some of these treatments are:
• Adjustment and massage of the spine and nearby tissues are performed by professionals.
• Electrical stimulation of the nerve through transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TENS). An electrical pulse is sent to the nerves of the painful area by a small box placed over it. Researchers have found that TENS treatments cannot reduce pain all the time.
• It is a Chinese method of treating pain and restoring health with thin needles. Low back pain can be effectively treated with acupuncture when it is combined with a comprehensive assessment and treatment plan.
• Massage therapy involves applying pressure to specific areas of the body to relieve pain. There are few studies on acupuncture for back pain, however.

Surgical Treatment for Back Pain: 

Surgical treatment doesn't usually need to be done for chronic back pain. If other treatments do not work for chronic back pain, this treatment may be used. Surgical intervention may be needed if you have:

• A Herniated disk. Damaged discs leak jelly-like centres, which can cause pain if the spinal bones and discs are damaged.
• Spinal stenosis. Narrowing of the spinal canal is the result of this condition.
• It occurs when at least one bone of the spine slips out of place.
• Fractures of the vertebrae. Several causes of fractures include blows to the spine as well as the crumbling of bones because of osteoporosis.
• Disk degeneration. Some older people experience severe pain when their disks break down.
• It is very rare to need surgery right away to relieve back pain and prevent additional problems if the cause of the pain can be pinpointed as a tumour, an infection or cauda equina syndrome.

Back Pain Research: What Is Being Done?

• Surgical and nonsurgical approaches to different types of back pain compared in terms of cost and effectiveness
• A patient's decision to undergo surgery for herniated disks may be influenced by several factors
• Costs and treatment of back pain are influenced by socioeconomic factors. Currently, research is aimed at - 
• Find out what causes back pain and what the symptoms are
• Prevent back pain by identifying possible causes
• Back pain treatment options need to be improved surgically and nonsurgical
• Back pain patients should be prevented from becoming disabled.

Preventing back pain can be achieved by following these tips:

• Keep a healthy weight and eat a balanced diet.
• You should stay active under your doctor's supervision.
• Don't let yourself become inactive or bedridden for too long.
• Prepare yourself for physical activity by stretching before exercising or gardening.
• Take good care of your posture.
• Make sure your shoes are comfortable and low-heeled.
• If you want your spine to remain as straight as possible, sleep on a medium-firm mattress.
• If you are lifting something, lift it from your knees, keep it close to your body, and do not twist when doing so.
• Stop smoking. Blood flow in the spine is inhibited by smoking, resulting in oxygen and nutrients being deprived to the tissues.
• Make sure your computer workstation is ergonomically correct with the help of your chiropractor.

*Disclaimer – This blog provides the information only; it doesn’t claim that the above-mentioned information can cure any diseases or can be the replacement of any medicine. For the illness kindly consult a doctor.