healthspin
by Jared M. Rochelle, MD
take back your game with pain management
B a c k
pain can be
can
really
handicap your
golf
game,
but don’t let it
discourage you
from seeking
steps to If the
pain in your
back is par
Jared M. Rochelle, MD
for the course,
North Oaks Pain
you may want
Management
to taking steps
to manage it.
Most people will experience back
pain sometime in their lives. There
are many causes, and some are due
to lifestyle choices and age. Other
back pain triggers include accidents,
muscle strains and sports injuries.
Roy, 56, is a golfer who suffered a
back strain years ago while mowing
his lawn. Before he developed back
problems, he was a 6 handicap. Today,
he is lucky to chalk up a 15 handicap.
“Every time I take a swing with
my club, it sends a sharp pain down
my leg,” he shares. “My doctor says
it is probably ‘structural.’ But, it’s
definitely hurting my game.”
The back is an intricate structure
of bones, muscles and other tissues.
The centerpiece of the structure is the
spine, which is highly prone to injury
because it is subject to many strong
forces: torque and twisting, sudden
jolts and daily stress.
Common structural problems that
may result in back pain include:
• Ruptured disks – also called
herniated disks, when the disk is
damaged and bulges or breaks open
• Bulging disks – when the disk
bulges outside the space it normally
occupies between the vertebrae
• Sciatica – a sharp and shooting
pain that travels through the buttock
and to the leg, caused by inflammation
of a nerve
• Arthritis
• Abnormal curvature of the spine
– an example is sco liosis, when the
spine curves to the side
• Osteoporosis – bones, including
the vertebra of the spine, become
brittle, making fractures more likely
• Spinal stenosis – narrowing of
the spinal canal.
Although he is relatively healthy,
Winston, 64, is at risk for back pain
due to his age. Over time, wear and
tear on the spine may result in neck
and back pain. This means that people
over age 30 or 40 are more at risk for
back pain than younger individuals.
“My back never bothered me until
a few years ago,” he notes. “It seems
like every year it gets a little more
difficult to deal with and I visit the
doctor more often.”
Winston, an avid outdoorsman,
doesn’t have other risk factors
commonly associated with back pain.
Those include: smoking; genetics; job
hazards; low physical activity; obesity;
poor posture; and pregnancy.
However, low physical activity and
genetics may contribute to 80-year-
old Nancy’s back pain, which was so
unbearable that she could barely walk
or get through her daily routine.
After taking a thorough history
of Nancy’s health, her doctor
performed a physical examination
and ordered X-rays and Magnetic
Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans. She
was diagnosed with several structural
problems, from ruptured and bulging
disks to arthritis and spinal stenosis.
“I have never been in such pain,
even with childbirth,” she comments.
“There were days that the pain was so
bad that I would just sit in my chair
and cry.”
Although their cases are each
unique, Roy, Winston and Nancy
share similar symptoms:
• Aching or stiffness anywhere
along the spine, from the base of the
neck to the tail bone
• Sharp, pain in the neck, upper
back or lower back – especially after
activities that involve twisting, lifting
or bending
• Chronic ache in the middle or
lower back, especially after sitting or
standing for extended periods
• Back pain that radiates from the
low back to the buttocks, down into
the leg and sometimes into the feet
• Difficulty standing straight
because of pain or spasms in the low
back
Despite the similarities, their
doctors choose to treat them
differently. For example, Roy’s doctor
is treating him with nonsurgical
procedures that include physical
therapy and injections while Winston
is undergoing lifestyle modification
and psychological support. Nancy,
due to the severity of her condition,
was treated with medications and
surgery.
Whatever your symptoms, your
health care provider should work
closely with you to identify the cause
of your pain and find appropriate
treatment options. To learn more
about managing your pain, call North
Oaks Pain Management at (985) 230-
7480 or visit www.northoaks.org/
pain.
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