Neck and back pain are common, especially with aging. Low back pain affects about 50% of adults older than 60 years. The pain usually a muscle tension or stiffness in that particular area of the back or neck which can be with or without neuro-motor deficits.

The neck and back pain can either be:

1. Non-specific or

2. Specific.

1. Most of the back pain symptoms are non-specific, and they are the result of overuse or injury of the ligaments and muscles that hold together the neck and low back vertebrae.

2. Specific mechanisms leading to pain in both neck and lower back or specific for each region individually:

a. Specific mechanisms causing neck pain only:

1. Atlanto-axial subluxation (subluxation at the level of first and second neck vertebrae).

2. Referred pain from carotid or vertebral artery dissection (Dissecting aneurysm affecting those arteries).

3. Angina pectoris referred pain.

4. Myocardial infarction referred pain.

5. Meningitis.

6. Herpes zoster.

7. Temporo-mandibular joint disorder.

8. Torticollis. (twisting of the neck to one side that results in abnormal carriage of the head and is usually caused by muscle spasms).

b. Specific mechanisms causing lower back pain only:

1. Lumbar spinal stenosis.

2. Osteitis condensans ilii (iliac sclerosis adjacent to the sacro-iliac joint which usually develops in some post-partum women.)

3. Referred pain from hip, buttock, or pelvic disorders.

4. Referred visceral pain from aortic dissection or aneurysm, renal colic, pancreatitis, retroperitoneal tumour, pleural effusion, pyelonephritis.

5. Sacro-iliac osteoarthritis.

6. Sacroliliitis.

7. Sponylolysis (A defect of the vertebral arch).

8. Spondylolisthesis (slippage of all or part of a vertebra on another).

c. Specific Mechanisms affecting either neck or lower back.

1. Ankylosing spondylitis (usually lower back but can also be thoracic.)

2. Arthritis (Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis which rarely affects the lower back).

3. Congenital abnormalities (e.g. spina bifida, Lumbarization of S1 which is an anatomic anomaly in the human spine characterized by the non-fusion of the first and second segments of the sacrum.Therefore, the lumbar spine subsequently appears to have six vertebrae or segments, not five and the sacrum appears to have only four segments instead of its designated five segments).

4. Fibromyalgia (illness that causes chronic pain in muscles and ligaments).

5. Intervertebral disc disease.

6. Infection. (e.g. Osteomyelitis, diskitis, spinal epidural abcess, infectious arthritis).

7. Injury. (e.g. Dislocation, subluxation or fracture).

8. Muscle or ligament srain.

9. Paget’s disease.

10. Polymyalgia rheumatic.

11. Tumour ( Primary or metastatic).

12. Spinal cord compression.

Treatment:

1. For acute musculoskeletal pain oral analgesics like tylonol, advil or asprin will do the job of relieving the pain.

2. Acute muscle spasms can be relieved by ice or heat.

3. Treatment of the cause of neck or back pain and the best who can judge is your doctor.

Back Relax is a new homeopathic product for back pain relief that you may not have heard of before. For $13.97 a bottle, this aspirin-free formula promises to deliver pain relief specifically where you need it; in the lower lumbar region, the sore neck and the shoulder blades. The market for homeopathic supplements is ever-growing, with more and more Americans looking for healthier alternatives to liver-destroying chemicals and dependency-creating drugs. While supplements may not be the magic bullet for everyone, some patients who have failed to respond to conventional treatment find that these supplements are their best hope for back pain relief.

Healthier You, the company behind Back Relax, has been around since 1995, marketing natural health products and supplements. President Jack Danforth promises, “Our products must do as we say they will. If not, you may return any unused portion - up to a full 90 days after receipt - for a courteous and complete refund of the purchase price. No questions asked, and no hassles.”

The company believes in harnessing the synergistic effects of different natural elements to create an effective, chemical-free treatment for your needs. “By combining the latest breakthroughs in nutritional science with the finest ingredients available, our formulations are said to be ahead of their time,” the website proudly declares. You can feel good knowing that there are no artificial binders or animal byproducts in these formulas. Also, since you are buying directly from the company, you don’t have to worry about paying outrageous markups.

Back Relax claims its “homeopathic properties temporarily stimulate your body’s own natural mechanisms to help soothe and ultimately relieve low-back agony when it attacks.” They say their special formula specifically seeks out areas like the lower lumbar, the shoulders and shoulder blades and the spinal region. Some of the active ingredients include Benzoicum Acidum, which is commonly used to treat joint pain; Colchicum Autumnale, which eases shooting pains; Rhus Toxicodendron, which eases tightness from holding the same position for long lengths of time; and sulphur, which provides soothing relief in neck and lumbar areas.

According to the manufacturer’s website, “Vitamins, herbs, minerals, amino acids, whole food complexes work best when taken consistently and regularly over a prolonged period of time.” Back Relax has been designed as a safe, natural alternative to conventional medications, but it takes some patience when you’re getting started. The payoff doesn’t always occur immediately, as your body acclimates to the new material coming in. It’s also recommended that you take a daily multi-vitamin and incorporate things like exercise, stretching, meditation and healthy eating into your lifestyle for maximum results.

Pain is your body’s ways of telling you something is wrong. Put your hand on a hot stove and your nervous system m, brain and muscles instantly jerk your hand away. Without the sensation of pain your hand? and the automatic response from your body you would have a severe burn.

When you have a herniated disc or other back problem the pain radiating down your leg is nature’s way of saying somethings wrong and it needs to be fixed. However before it can be fixed you need to know and understand the underlying cause.

An aching back can have many causes. To cure the pain it’s not enough simply to fix the ruptured disc but to correct the cause of the rupture. In my case the cause seemed to be from lifting a heavy load that sifted when I started to carry it. But was this really the reason? Maybe the root cause was weak muscles or muscles that were out of balance. As?I learn more about the back, spinal column and all the things that can go wrong, it’s clear that most back problems are caused by muscle imbalanced.

If muscle weakness and imbalance are the causes of so many bad backs is there a solution, exercise program or system that I can use to really cure my back problem? Thankfully there is: It’s called the “Lose The Back Pain System” by the Healthy Back Institute. The Lose The Back Pain System was developed by therapists and doctors of the Healthy Back Institute. This program has helped thousands by strengthening muscles and eliminating muscles imbalance. ?