Chronic vs. Acute Back Pain
Back pain is something 80% of adults experience at some point in their lives, and most of these people can fix their issues on their own with a few exercises; only a few people require the help of a specialist.
To find out which category you belong to, you should know what kind of back pain you’re experiencing. There are many types of back pain, but the major ones are chronic and acute. In this article, we’ll explore the difference between chronic vs acute back pain.
What is Acute back pain?
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Causes of acute back pain
- Surgical procedures.
- A fractured bone.
- Sudden annular tear (acute disc rupture)
- A sudden sprain or strain
- Labour and delivery.
What is chronic pain?
Chronic back pain develops more gradually over time and may even get worse. It lasts longer than three months or is episodic and recurs over a period of six months. It can last even after the underlying cause has been cured or treated. Chronic pain is considered very hard to diagnose as it may arise for several reasons. Headaches, arthritis, cancer, nerve pain, and back pain are common examples of chronic pain.
Causes of Chronic Back Pain
The back is a complex organ, and there are many factors that can lead to back pain, like:
- Disc degeneration
- Age-related degenerative arthritis
- Chronic disc herniation
- Fractures due to compression
- Chronic pain syndromes like fibromyalgia
Acute Back Pain Treatment
Acute back pain is often treated by focusing on the cause of the injury. Acute mechanical back pain may cause muscle spasms, and symptoms become worse with flexion of the back or heavy lifting. Acute, non-specific low back pain rarely stems from a structural abnormality in the spine itself.
Chronic Back Pain Treatment
Chronic pain can be challenging to diagnose, and the pain differs from person to person. Because of this, the treatment can vary from topical creams to surgery.
- While oral medications, creams, and ointments are used to help with pain, they are not available for long-term use.
- Physical therapy is proven to help patients with chronic back pain.
- Pain management injections are used in some cases with extreme pain. Some of the most popular injections are
Trigger Point Injections: injections that help relax and soothe tense and painful muscles.
Facet Joint Injections: injections that help with inflamed joints in the spine and steroid-reducing pain and joint soreness.
Epidural injections are strong anti-inflammatory injections that reduce pain around the spinal cord.
If you know the cause or type of back pain you have, it becomes much easier to treat it in a timely manner. This is crucial to avoiding acute pain turning into chronic pain.
Back pain can easily disrupt your way of life and can affect your mental health. It is important to consult a physiotherapist or a doctor if your back pain persists for more than a few days or if pain is intolerable.
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