Back Pain

The spine is a masterpiece of design, absorbing nearly every bump, jolt and shock sent its way while simultaneously providing an incredible amount of agility and flexibility.

The spine has three natural curves: in the neck, upper back and lower back. These curves help absorb the impact of movement. The lower back bears most of the body's weight and is the most vulnerable to injury.

Excess weight and poor muscle tone commonly contribute to back pain. Poor posture also stresses the natural curves of your back. One out of four people with back pain missed at least one day of work in the last year due to their pain, according to a government survey. Back pain is the second leading reason people visit a doctor.

Treating Back Pain

With many treatment options available for back pain, finding relief from chronic back pain can be a reality. Treatment from a multidisciplinary team, like the Northern Nevada Medical Center's Pain Management Center, can be a first step. If you have any of the following danger signals, however, consult your physician immediately:

• Pain with no obvious cause
• Pain that increases in severity or lasts more than three weeks
• Pain associated with numbness or extreme weakness in an arm or leg
• Pain unrelieved by rest
• Pain for which you can find no comfortable position
• Pain accompanied by sickness, fever, chills, sweats, loss of appetite, nausea, weight loss, kidney or bladder problems, constipation, diarrhea or incontinence