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 Back Pain

 Back Pain Fact:  Did you know that low back pain is the most common cause of disability in persons under the age of 45 and one of the most common reasons that people seek treatment at a doctor's office?

Back pain (also known as dorsalgia) is pain felt in the back that usually originates from the muscles, nerves, bones, joints or other structures in the spine.

The pain can often be divided into neck pain, upper back pain, lower back pain or tailbone pain. It may have a sudden onset or can be a chronic pain; it can be constant or intermittent, stay in one place or radiate to other areas. It may be a dull ache, or a sharp or piercing or burning sensation. The pain may radiate into the arm and hand), in the upper back, or in the low back, (and might radiate into the leg or foot), and may include symptoms other than pain, such as weakness, numbness or tingling.

Back pain is one of humanity's most frequent complaints. In the U.S., acute low back pain (also called lumbago) is the fifth most common reason for physician visits. About nine out of ten adults experience back pain at some point in their life, and five out of ten working adults have back pain every year.

The spine is a complex interconnecting network of nerves, joints, muscles, tendons and ligaments, and all are capable of producing pain. Large nerves that originate in the spine and go to the legs and arms can make pain radiate to the extremities.

  Related Topics

 
  Back Pain Listings

Back Pain - MedLine Plus resource providing information and links to other sites about back pain

Back pain and neck pain  - patient information provided by Spine-Health.com

Back Pain Information - website with lots of helpful information on the causes, symptoms, and treatments of back pain

 

 

 

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