A recent series of papers by The Lancet has stated that the increase of disability due to lower back pain has increased so dramatically world over that it is now being called as the leading cause of disability worldwide.
Lower back pain is estimated to be affecting 540 million people across the world at any given point in time, according to the study! It comes as no surprise then lower back pain is the fourth highest cause of disability in India?
A survey from last year that evaluated patients who sought help for back or neck problems showed that almost three-fourth patients (73%) had lower back problems. Around 45% of the patients waited for seven weeks before seeking assistance
Every fifth patient was aged 16-34, indicating that spine-related problems were occurring earlier in people. The four-city survey showed that 18% of Mumbai’s patients were under 34. The 34-54 age group formed the biggest patient group in the survey, while the 75-plus group was barely 5%. The four-city survey was conducted by clinical director and senior spine specialist, QI Spine Clinic, Dr Garima Anandani.
Dr Garima Anandani, Senior Spine Specialist & Clinical Director, QI Spine Clinic throws light of the burgeoning issue of spine-related issues in the country.
What is a spine-related injury or problem and why has it picked up importance since the early 2000s?
Your Spine is made up of Bones, Nerves, Discs & soft muscle tissues. 70% load of your spine is borne by the soft muscle tissues (mechanical components of the spine) while 30% is borne by the structural components (namely bones & discs). When there is excess load on the bones it caused problems like spinal injuries, disc degeneration, dis herniation (slipped disc) etc.
One of the main reasons for this excessive load? A sedentary lifestyle.
Since most people end up leading sedentary lifestyles and sitting more than 9 hours a day, spine problems have emerged as one the leading lifestyle diseases in India. In fact, according to WHO it is one of the leading causes of disability in the world affecting about 540 million people at any given time.
“Chronic back pain can be debilitating for any individual. Simple tasks like sitting , standing & walking feel difficult making them feel handicapped or dependent all the time. The psychological impact on the individual’s confidence and self-esteem is enormous as pain consumes the mind of the patient causing other mood issues,” says Dr Garima Anandani, Senior Spine Specialist & Clinical Director, QI Spine Clinic.
A sedentary lifestyle combined by poor posture at work and while using gadgets contributes to the rise in such conditions. More than half of the people that come to us with severe back pain lead a sedentary lifestyle. The youth doesn’t understand how something as simple as sitting for long hours is harming them gravely.
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The scary part is the fact that people in young age group of 16-34, which make up 23% of the population in the country are suffering from some form of spine issue.
Back Pain is growing at an average of 58% year on year. This is a 3% increase since last year. In fact, data shows that the rise in children with back pain has been 4X since 2015.
Qi Spine clinics’ director Dr Garima Anandani, who conducted the four-city survey said that “The report shows that back or neck pain patients neglect their pain or try other approaches that give temporary relief as pain usually returns. The rate of negligence at 45% is quite high.” She said this indicated lack of awareness.
A spinal deformity can alter the shape of your child's back, rib cage, shoulders, and hips and can lead to back pain and poor self-image.
In short, scoliosis not only has physical effects but serious mental and emotional repercussions on patients as well as their family members. There is a need for education and early detection. This is why QI Spine Clinic offers treatment for children below 15 at no cost.*”
Lack of awareness, poor nutrition, posture, lack of activity, smoking , being overweight are all key lifestyle-related contributors to back pain.
Dr S Mohanty, professor of orthopedics at KEM Hospital, Parel, said most people suffer from spine problems because of their lifestyle. “People have bad posture, eat junk food, put on weight and rarely exercise. Their muscles become weak due to their sedentary lifestyle, resulting in the spine getting inadequate support. Two other contributory factors are Vitamin D deficiency and osteosporosis,” said Dr Mohanty.
Urban schedules contribute immensely to the rising incidence of back problems, said Dr Mohanty. “Children start on an unhealthy lifestyle really early. They eat junk food because of convenience as their parents are working and not at home to monitor them,” he said. Children are so addicted to TV that they have their meals sitting in front of it. They don’t play outdoors. This sedentarism worsens as they get into adulthood, leading to spine-related problems earlier on.
Is lower back pain also connected to spine issues?
Lower back pain is one of the most common complaint especially in women. Neck pain is an increasing complaint in working individuals and phone users. Apart from this there are many types of pains which originate in the spine but manifest as pain in the knee, arm, shoulder, hip etc.
“It does not occur to many patients that this may be due to a spine problem. We have seen many such cases where patients were advised knee or hip replacement without doing a thorough analysis of the spine. If you have been advised surgery, do get a second opinion with a spine specialist before going under the knife"
What are type of spine injuries?
Muscle strains
- Structural damage
- Disc herniation / prolapse / extrusion
- Nerve compression / Sciatica
If treated in time 90% of these issues can be resolved non-surgically through spine rehabilitation. Delaying treatment increases the risk of surgery.
What are the obvious signs & symptoms and how to you recognize that you have a spine-related problem:
- Sharp or dull pain that is either constant or intermittent
- Pain that does not improve with rest
- Radiating pain that spreads from the lower back to the legs and even the toes
- Sustained cramping or tightening of the lower back muscles
- Numbness or tingling, especially in the feet
- Leg weakness that impedes mobility
If you experience radiating pain or loss of bowel movement, please consult a spine surgeon immediately.
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The problem we face when it comes to treating to spine-related injuries is lack of awareness and timely advice.
“Unfortunately, in India most spine conditions go untreated due to lack of sound advice. Pain killers and most home remedies focus on treating the symptoms of pain but do not focus on addressing the root cause of the problem. This ends up delaying the patients visit to the doctor. Most patients visit us when they are bedridden or crippled with pain. Many have gone through multiple failed surgeries until they have realised they could have solved the issue non-surgically if they have come to a spine specialist on time.”
European, American and Australian guidelines recommend spine rehabilitation as the most effective way to treat back pain. Surgery is usually advised after conservative treatment like spine rehabilitation for more than 6 months has failed or the patient experiences loss of bowel control and other symptoms of neurological weakness. Self care is usually not advised for individuals in pain. A spine rehabilitation treatment plan is only advised after a thorough medical examination by the doctor.
Some of the precautionary measure you should take while you get treated for a spine-related injury include:
- Walk more and stay active.
- Take breaks from sitting every half an hour.
- Avoid use of painkillers often. If pain comes back consult a spine specialist.
- Avoid smoking.
- Use a laptop stand at work.
- Treat back pain on time.
Source : India Times , 25th Oct 2018
Well-founded and informational blog! Normal back-pain can give severe results, don’t ignore your back pain and discuss it with the best spine surgeon in Ludhiana at Kalyan Hospital.
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