Back pain

Back pain is any medical condition that occurs at the level of the spine. It can occur in different parts of the back; the cervical (cervicalgia), dorsal (dorsalgia) and lumbar (lumbalgia). Scientific studies show that 8 out of 10 people in the world will have back pain sometime in life.

What is back pain?

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Back pain is one of the most common pains. Everyone will experience having back pain at least once in their life. This ailment is said to be one of the main causes of work absenteeism. Studies demonstrate that for at least once in their life, 80%-90% of the world has to confront a lower back pain, commonly between their 20’s and 50’s.

Back pain explained in first person

Professionals and patients explain how you live with the disease
Back pain | PortalCLÍNIC
One of the main factors of back pain is a sedentary lifestyle. Many hours sitting, little physical exercise, obesity, smoking.

Back pain can be from a small constant discomfort up to a sudden, stabbing acute pain that makes movement difficult. It can appear rapidly, after a fall or on lifting a very heavy object, or it may gradually increase.

Types of Back Pain

Among the types of back pain may be found are:

  • Lower back pain. It is the most common and affects the area between the base of the ribs and the beginning of the thigh.
  • Back pain. It is also very common and affects the area between the base of the neck and the floating ribs.
  • Neck pain.  It is pain in the cervical region. It is not such a common disorder, although it produces considerable discomfort and pain.

Back pain shows up in two ways: the acute pain that suddenly appears and usually lasts for less than six weeks and the chronic pain that may last longer than three months. The chronic pain is less common in lower back pain, back pain, and neck pain

Substantiated information by:

José Poblete Carrizo
Salvador Fuster

Published: 23 October 2019
Updated: 23 October 2019

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