Welcome to Ask Doctor Zac, a weekly column from news.com.au. This week, Dr Zac Turner talks back pain.
QUESTION: Hi Dr Zac, My back is killing me and it all started when I recently bought a brand-new bed that is super soft and comfy. My wife thought it would be better suited as we hit our middle years. I was chatting with my dad the other day and he reckons my new bed is causing all the pain. Is that possible?
I have also been working longer hours in my job as a chippy, and as a result, I rarely exercise these days. I think my new work hours are causing me pain. What do you think is causing my back pain? – Darren, NSW
ANSWER: Trying to manage back pain can sometimes feel like rolling a boulder up a hill. It never really seems like it will go away.
One in six Australians experience back pain, which is a staggering amount of our population. I think we should educate kids in school on the importance of good back health and how fitness can prevent back issues later in life. That’s because a sore back can hold you back, and the cost to our country is immense. There’s the huge cost of treating back pain, as well as the huge cost of all that lost productivity across industries.
When you visit the GP and tell them you are experiencing back pain, they will typically classify you into three categories: acute, subacute and chronic. Acute pain lasts for a few days, subacute for a few weeks and chronic is ongoing, for longer than 12 weeks.
Your doctor will ask you a few questions to ascertain where it is coming from. From what you have told me, there are three red flags: working longer hours, working out less and you bought a new mattress. This will help identify what type of back pain you have.
Sometimes it can come on suddenly – from an accident, a fall, or lifting something heavy, or it can develop slowly because of age-related degenerative changes in the spine. In some cases, inflammatory arthritis disorders or other medical conditions cause back pain.
Let’s go through each of your red flags to determine the culprit.
Job-related stress can certainly cause back pain. Are you lifting heavy things in your job, or required to do physical labour? This can cause a strain on the muscles and ligaments in your back. Are you sitting down at a desk for prolonged periods? Do you have poor posture when you sit down? If you do these things for longer hours, it could be causing your back pain.
Fitness and back pain are connected. If you exercise less, you run the risk of feeling sore. Weak back and abdominal muscles can lead to poor posture and an increased risk of back pain. I recommend you find time in your day for exercise. It can be as simple as 20 minutes doing basic bodyweight exercises in your home or backyard.
Now, on to your mattress. Do you wake up with a sore back, neck stiffness and shoulder pain? It could be your bed. There isn’t just one type of mattress, there are many variations designed for different people. A mattress can cause pain due to the spine being subjected to unnatural positions for a long time. By failing to keep your spine in a neutral resting position at night, the mattress that you sleep on can contribute to the pressure on your spine, resulting in back discomfort.
A mattress that’s too hard will place excessive pressure on your spine, leading to back discomfort. On the other hand, a mattress that’s too soft will not support your spinal curvature. Thus, leading to aches and pains in your back.
A good test to determine if the mattress is the problem is to sleep somewhere else. Have a sleepover at someone else’s house, or try another in your home. If you wake up feeling better, it may be time to buy a new bed.
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It’s essential to consult with a doctor for an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment plan if you’re experiencing persistent or severe back pain. Treatment may involve a combination of pain management techniques, physical therapy, lifestyle modifications, and in some cases, surgical intervention.
Got a question? Email askdrzac@conciergedoctors.com.au
Dr Zac Turner has a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from the University of Sydney. He is both a medical practitioner and a co-owner of telehealth service, Concierge Doctors. He was also a registered nurse and is a qualified and experienced biomedical scientist along with being a PhD Candidate in Biomedical Engineering.
https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiiwFodHRwczovL3d3dy5uZXdzLmNvbS5hdS9saWZlc3R5bGUvaGVhbHRoL2hlYWx0aC1wcm9ibGVtcy93aHktaXMtbXktYmFjay1zby1wYWluZnVsLWFsbC10aGUtdGltZS9uZXdzLXN0b3J5L2M2NjFlNWQ3ZWU0NzAzNzU2MDQxNTc1YzY1ZGRlY2Ji0gGPAWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm5ld3MuY29tLmF1L2xpZmVzdHlsZS9oZWFsdGgvaGVhbHRoLXByb2JsZW1zL3doeS1pcy1teS1iYWNrLXNvLXBhaW5mdWwtYWxsLXRoZS10aW1lL25ld3Mtc3RvcnkvYzY2MWU1ZDdlZTQ3MDM3NTYwNDE1NzVjNjVkZGVjYmI_YW1w?oc=5
2024-04-07 12:28:39Z
CBMiiwFodHRwczovL3d3dy5uZXdzLmNvbS5hdS9saWZlc3R5bGUvaGVhbHRoL2hlYWx0aC1wcm9ibGVtcy93aHktaXMtbXktYmFjay1zby1wYWluZnVsLWFsbC10aGUtdGltZS9uZXdzLXN0b3J5L2M2NjFlNWQ3ZWU0NzAzNzU2MDQxNTc1YzY1ZGRlY2Ji0gGPAWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm5ld3MuY29tLmF1L2xpZmVzdHlsZS9oZWFsdGgvaGVhbHRoLXByb2JsZW1zL3doeS1pcy1teS1iYWNrLXNvLXBhaW5mdWwtYWxsLXRoZS10aW1lL25ld3Mtc3RvcnkvYzY2MWU1ZDdlZTQ3MDM3NTYwNDE1NzVjNjVkZGVjYmI_YW1w
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