Last week, we said that Low Back Pain (LBP), was a serious physical impairment affecting all ages especially traumatic low back pain, while physiological low back pain manifests from age- 40 and above. Now;
What are the symptoms of low back back pain (lumbago)
1 ♥ Pain across the lower part of the back, that sometimes radiates into the buttocks, the back of the thigh or to the groin. The pain is usually worse on movement.
2 ♥ Limitation in movement of the spine – especially bending forward or leaning back.
3 ♥ Tense spasm of the muscles surrounding the spine and causing a stiff back.
4 ♥ With severe pain and spasm, the back may tilt to one side, causing a change in posture or a limp.
5 ♥ The pain is sometimes accompanied by a tingling sensation or numbness in the back or buttocks or leg, which may pass right down into the foot. This is called sciatica, and it indicates irritation of the sciatic nerve, which passes down from each side of the spine to the feet.
How do we manage low back pain?
These are in two stages 1) Plan A -Self-help & Preventive Strategy. 2) Plan B – Treatment.
Plan A – Self-help and Preventive Strategy.
I)★ Think about how you lift things – especially heavy or awkward objects. a) Stand close to anything you need to lift. b) Gain a good grip, and secure your foothold. Bend your knees. c) Lift without jerking, and keep your back straight. d) Do not twist or stoop when you put the object down. e) If you need help, ask for it or even better, use a wheelbarrow or a trolley.
II) Think about your posture. If you need help, ask your doctor. He may refer you to a physiotherapist or an orthopaedic surgeon.
III) If you sit at a computer screen all day; a) Demand a chair that supports your back. b) Experiment with different chairs for your desk. c) Make sure you do not have to bend your back to look at the computer screen.
IV) Except during acute attacks, continue to take exercise which stretches your back – swimming and brisk walking are both excellent forms of exercise for low back pain sufferers.
Plan B – Treatment.
1) During acute attack, you will have no alternative but to rest, since your body will not let you do otherwise.
2) Take simple pain killers like aspirin and ibuprofen if you do not have ulcer, or paracetamol if you have ulcer.
3) If muscle spasm is a problem, your doctor will prescribe a muscle relaxant.
4) Manipulative therapies are often helpful – massage, osteopathy and chiropractic are best known. Your doctor will explain and determine what you need.
5) Surgery is reserved for the very few cases, where scans have shown disc or bone damage. Surgeons may either remove a disc, to pressure on nerves, or fuse bones in the spine, so nerves are no longer stretched when you bend.
6) Rolfing & Hellerwork Manoeuvre may be done by your doctor, can also be beneficial: both work on the principle that a structurally mis-aligned body experiences gravity as stressful, so movement and flexibility are limited. The aim is to re-align the body so that it experiences gravity as a supporting force, is flexible, and moves easily.
What are the effects of low back pain on our sexual life?
I have received several complaints from my responders, on the deleterious effects of low back pain on their sexual lives. Most of their questions are too personal and should not be openly shared, to protect spousal confidentiality. I shall however discuss general tips as espoused (no pun intended), by Prof Joshua M. Ammerman, in the results of SpineUniverse National Survey on low back pain and its impact on Sexual Satisfaction.
Tip 1 ; Talt it Out – You and your partner need to find a way to discuss your back pain and the sexual limitations, and its effects on your relationship.
Tip 2 ; Practical Changes – Find comfortable sexual positions that reduce your low back pain.
Tip 3; Talk to a Medical Specialist. We know talking about your sex life with your doctor isn’t the most appealing idea, but we should take consolation in the idiom that says ” a problem once shared is half solved”. Remember when “viagra” first became available, especially in Nigeria, men were too embarrassed to talk about erectile dysfunction with their doctors. As time went on, men summoned courage after repeated sexual failures with their spouses, and consulted us.
Note – You can still have a satisfying, intimate relationship – low back pain or not. Meanwhile
Follow me on Twitter; @_DRSUN.

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