Weekend Athletes May Pay a Price

Whether caused by lifting a too heavy weight at the gym, overexerting on one of your weekend-athlete-marathons, or something as simple as twisting too far, back paincan make life miserable. Eighty percent of all adults experience back pain atsome time, according to the National Institute on Disability and RehabilitationResearch. Estimates also indicate that one in ten adults suffer from chronic back pain, and that this conditioncosts the American public $100 billion annually. All those statistics don't ease the pain, though, ifyou're suffering from what my Grandmother called "the back misery." Back pain is about as much fun as a root canal. Andwhile most of us recover with ease from a root canal, episodes of back pain canlinger - and recur throughout your life. So what causes this literal pain-in-the-back? Andwhat's the solution? The National Institute of Neurological Disorders andStroke describes back pain as "a symptom that can arise from many causes," varying from a slight but irritating ache to "absolute agony." As to treatment, NINDS recommends against lengthy bedrest, with the use of a therapy program such as limited rest, directed exercises, and "nonsteroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs-- alone or in combination with steroid injections,analgesics, muscle relaxants, or anti-depressants." In addition, using heat or ice may help, according to NINDS. And they caution that you should notify your physician if these methodsdon't work after a few days. In addition, a visit to yourdoctor is recommended if the pain is extreme or if "radiating pain, numbness, tingling, or weakening occurs in the arms or legs, if bowel or bladder dysfunction occurs, if achild or elderly person has back pain, or if fever and/or vomiting occurs with back pain." Specialists at the Mayo Clinic offer additionalguidelines for relieving back pain within the comforts of your home: (1) Start with applying cold compresses, such as iceplaced into a plastic bag and then wrapped in a cloth or towel to protect your skin. Use this cold treatment several times a day, but limit it to 20 minutes each time. If you desire,you can then use heat (for example, relax in a tub of hot water, or use hot compresses). (2) Take over-the-counter pain relievers, such asacetaminophen, aspirin, or ibuprofen. However, if you are taking other medications, check with your doctor before you start gulping down aspirin. In an ideal world, of course, we could prevent backpain from occurring - and, once it has attacked, stop it from recurring. To prevent back pain, the Mayo Clinic recommends thatyou exercise regularly, incorporating stretches and strength training to toneand strengthen your body.

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