How is your lower back feeling lately?
1.) Low Back Pain
The health of your muscles and strength of bones tend to lessen with age. Lower left sided back discomfort can be a musculoskeletal ailment that you will need to deal with, or the problem may get worse. People may get lower left sided back discomfort due to some back injury for any number of reasons, such as a bulging disc. (Bulging discs reduce the intervertebral ability to provide cushion to the spine.) Lower left sided back pain may also arise due to strains on back musculature.
This article will be useful in getting information about causes of lower left sided back pain and necessary measures to help avoid getting back pain. It will also cover how to deal with your back pain if you are already suffering from this ailment.
2.) Causes of Low Back Pain
Lower left sided back pain may be caused due to:
A herniated or "slipped" disc. When you suffer from this problem, the disc may actually press on spinal nerves. This can cause numbness or pain in your lower back. Back discomfort or numbness due to herniation can project down to the left or right leg and reach the feet as well.
Muscle Strains: Lower left side back problems may arise when back muscles or tendons get strained by an accident or by trauma. Bad posture and improper body mechanics may also lead to overstretched ligaments which may cause lower back pain. (When you stretch or tear a ligament, this is considered to be a sprain.)
Obesity, smoking, stress, poor physical shape, bad posture are among the possible reasons of lower backache.
3.) Prevention
We can take several steps towards prevention from this common ailment. Although, exercise may not prove fruitful in existing back pain, it actually can help us prevent suffering from back pain as it helps maintain back muscle strength. Stronger back muscles can help save us from muscle strain. Low impact activities like walking, swimming, bicycling and some other exercise routines like back stretching, aerobic conditioning and lifting weights are useful as prevention measures.
4.) Treatment
Pain can be reduced by some home remedies including rest and ice. Although these treatments are conservative in nature, these methods have prove to be effective at times. Low profile back braces are also advised by many physicians. These back braces can provide support and help to reduce pain. The support that they provide can also help to facilitate the healing process of an injury as they restrict poor lumbar movements. Lastly, surgery is a helpful option, but it is to be considered as a last resort in most cases after conservative options have been exhausted.
5.) Back Brace Types
To help you understand what is available, it is first a good idea to note that back supports can be custom made or prefabricated. - Common prefabricated items include: corsets, Aspen LSOs, Aspen quick draws and warm and form braces. These braces can help to provide support and can be very helpful, but they are usually not considered to be more supportive than a custom LSO or custom TLSO. You may not always need a custom brace depending on your injury level. Moreover, some custom TLSOs (sometimes referred to as "body jackets", or "clam shells") can also include neck extensions to help control cervical spine motion.
* This article is meant to be helpful, but it is best to consult your local orthotist about what type of brace that you need. Moreover, it is best to consult your physician about proper activity levels with respect to your back pain and/or injury level.
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