Back Pain in Old Age

Back pain is any kind of discomfort that the person feels in his/her spine Back pain is any discomfort that the person feels in their spine or back. This discomfort can range from minor to very severe. Back pain is one of the most common problems observed in any age group and every part of the world, but people above 60 or the elderly are more likely to suffer from back pain. The most common spine area where the person feels pain is the low back and neck pain. Prevalence of low back pain is estimated at 60% to 70% in India.

What are some of the Back Pain Causes?

If we talk about the back pain causes or lower back pain causes, it varies from person to person and also differs in intensity, area, duration, etc., for each person. Some of the reasons due to which back pain is mainly caused by include –

• Osteoarthritis is the most common reason
• Degenerative changes in the spine
• Any compression in the spinal cord or the nerves
• Inflammatory changes in the spine
• Any surgeries of the spine
• Lifestyle changes

The person’s problems can be difficulty walking to distant places, stiffness during morning and evening, tingling or burning sensations in the back and legs. These can differ from person to person.

How to cure back pain fast at home?

Back pain management needs to be taken care of at the earliest. Discuss with your Spine surgeon or Rehab Expert to get correct knowledge on how to cure lower back pain. They will also inform and teach you the following cure for back pain –

• Proper body posture by lying straight on the spine; keeping a pillow under the legs while resting will help reduce back pain.
• Stretching and strengthening exercises.
• Swimming will help reduce pain because of the buoyancy of water.
• Energy conservation techniques like using larger joints more, placing objects on the same level, etc., can reduce the unnecessary stressors for daily activities.
• Lifting heavy weights by sitting is the correct way to protect the spine from injury.
• Equal weight distributions on both sides of the body will balance the posture causing less pain.
• Use assistive devices whenever required.
• Take a healthy diet and proper consumption of water.
• Do regular Exercise to protect and control further degeneration of the spine.
• Consult a doctor about over-the-counter medications for managing pain and inflammation.

Physiotherapy for Back Pain Relief

Depending on your body and the treatment you’re undergoing will determine the types of home exercises you can do to relieve back pain. Considering the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, elders can also prefer physiotherapy for back pain at home. The physiotherapist will visit their home and guide them on how to get relief from lower back pain and general back pain with some exercises. You can also perform the recommended physiotherapy exercises for lower back pain on your own or with the help of someone at home. But make sure to consult your physiotherapist first.

Finally, your situation and lifestyle also impact the pain levels and their duration. For instance, a depressed person or someone under stress is more likely to have their back pain become chronic. People who are stress-free and have minor psychological factors are more likely to improve with appropriate treatment.