Back Pain

Recently Answered
Q What is the proper way to lift things to avoid hurting my back?
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Dr. Harris McIlwain, Pain Medicine
The most common cause of lower back pain is using your back muscles in movements or activities you're not used to, such as lifting furniture or doing heavy yard work. It’s important to know the facts about lifting to avoid further back injury or... Full Answer
Q What causes lumbar spinal stenosis?
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The most common cause of lumbar spinal stenosis is changes in the spine that can happen as you get older. These changes include thickening of soft tissues, development of bony spurs and gradual breakdown of spinal discs and joints. Any of these... Full Answer
Q How can I help prevent lumbar spinal stenosis?
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You can't always prevent changes in your back that may come with aging. But you may be able to limit spinal stenosis symptoms by keeping your back as healthy as possible: Get regular exercise, including flexibility stretches. Stay at a healthy weight.... Full Answer
Q Why should I keep my back muscles healthy?
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Keeping your back muscles healthy can help you avoid both acute and chronic pain. Chronic back pain is reported by 80% of adults and the younger generations are beginning to increase in their occurrence of back pain. Maintaining a healthy weight and... Full Answer
Q Why are strong abdominal muscles good for the lower back?
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Dr. Harris McIlwain, Pain Medicine
Strong abdominal muscles help to improve posture and overall balance, and support the lower back. More than simply standing up straight, good posture means using your body correctly at all times - when standing, sitting, sleeping, and exercising. Full Answer
Q Will I heal faster if I avoid using my injured back muscles?
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Dr. Harris McIlwain, Pain Medicine
Most people with back pain do try hard to avoid using injured muscles - and that’s the probably biggest mistake in healing. In doing so, they rely on extra muscles in the back, putting far more strain on their backs than normal. The more muscles... Full Answer
Q Why should I strengthen my stabilizer muscles?
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The stabilizers are responsible for keeping the spine and pelvis stable, decreasing the chance for problems such as low back pain, disc herniation, or sciatic nerve impingement. In fact, research has found that individuals with low back pain... Full Answer
Q Why can sitting be bad for my back?
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Think about how much you sit with a rounded spine. It is hard to maintain a neutral posture with shoulders over hips and natural curves in the spine while sitting for long periods of time. Instead our bodies follow the path of least resistance... Full Answer
Q What's the best way to sit to prevent back problems?
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Good question! How you sit is very important. Root evenly through your sit bones with your feet on a flat surface. Keep your shoulders wide and down your back, and stack them over your hips. This is hard to do for most of us! You can tuck a... Full Answer
Q What procedures help treat lumbar spinal stenosis?
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Surgery is done to relieve pressure on the nerve roots. This can help reduce pain, numbness and weakness in your legs. Surgery may be recommended: Your pain, numbness or weakness is so bad that it gets in the way of normal daily activities and hurts... Full Answer