A question arises: When does a common back ache become chronic?

Opinions of specialists differ on the time span that makes a common back ache a chronic back ache. But according to majority opinion, a back ache that lasts 3 months qualifies to be termed as chronic.

Symptoms of chronic back ache

By and large chronic back ache occurs in the lower part of the back or the lumbar spine. It may travel towards the buttocks, groin, backside of the thighs, legs and down to the feet when it becomes sciatica. You feel a kind of numbness in the back. It aggravates when you move or walk about.

It becomes painful to bend forward and backwards. You feel stiffness in the back.

The patient may experience mild to severe ache in the back. It may cause searing, shooting or electrical pain combined with a sense of acute stiffness, tightness and inconvenience.

The patient tends to lose confidence in his/her ability to recover from back ache. This, in turn, impacts the normal personal, professional and social relationships. You remain depressed, listless, inactive and diffident all the time. This kind of attitude weakens the muscles and further worsens the pain.

The condition deteriorates further when the lower back region and the legs become weak and numb and the patient experiences that he cannot control his urine or bowel movement.

This is a signal that a compression is occurring in the spinal cord as well as the nerves that go out of it. This situation may lead to permanent damage of the spine and should be a serious cause of concern.

Treatment of chronic back ache

Howsoever serious and chronic your back ache may be, there is always a scope for self help that can do a lot good to the patient. Here are some tips to treat the chronic back ache.

1. You may use over-the-counter pain killers to relieve the back ache. Pain killers may not only be taken when you are actually feeling the back ache, but even before it so as to ward it off.

2. Try to remain busy with your work as much as you can, the back ache not withstanding. It will not only divert your attention from back pain, but also strengthen your spine, relax the tissues and stop them from becoming stiff.

3. Swimming in a warm pool and applying hot packs may substantially reduce the back ache.

4. Avoid sleeping on the thick and soft cushions. Lie, instead, on the hard beds, if possible.

5. Avoid bending your back especially to lift heavy objects.

6. Try yoga. Studies show that yoga provides more lasting and effective relief than most pain killers.

You can easily cure chronic back ache with proper guidance and treatment if you make a determined effort.