Low back pain: how to prevent pain from becoming chronic

This is the second reason for recourse to a general practitioner: 84% of French suffer from low back pain during their life. It is characterized by pain in the lumbar vertebrae at the bottom of the spine. This back pain can come from a benign lesion of a muscle, ligament, tendon or more serious, moving a vertebra.

Low back pain can become chronic in 3 to 6% of cases. This is why the High Authority of Health reminds the reflexes to take to avoid that the pains do not persist.

See a doctor

It is important to consult a doctor to monitor low back pain. During the medical appointment, the health professional not only assesses the patient's condition but also looks for any signs of chronicity and recurrence, some of which reflect the presence of an infection, an inflammatory disease, a cancer or a neurological problem.

In 9 out of 10 cases, it is acute low back pain and is not a concern. According to the High Authority of Health, "in the acute phase and in the absence of warning signs"It is not necessary to have a medical imaging type examination. "There is no systematic agreement between symptoms and radiological signs."

After this first consultation, the HAS recommends to the attending physician "see the patient 2 to 4 weeks after the initial episode if the symptoms persist to rule out a possible risk of progression to chronicity".

The organization reminds professionals that "the experience of the patient [must be taken into account], each living differently on the physical, psychological and socio-professional levels".

Continue physical activity

The "main treatment"Advised by the health organization is none other than the sporting activity. "It allows a favorable evolution of low back pain and limits recurrences."To remain bedridden and to stop one's professional activity does not help the pains to stop, on the contrary. Some activities are known to relieve back pain: yoga, pilates, walking or swimming.

During this period when the disease is cured alone, the patient can turn, in addition to the sport, to a drug solution. Analgesics are recommended. Warning, "the HAS recalls that no drug has proven effective in the medium term on the evolution of an acute throbbing of low back pain".

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