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Home | Health & Fitness | Yoga Most types of leg and back pain fall under two broad categories: chronic and acute. Acute pain, also called short-term pain, is very common. Approximately four out of every five American adults suffer from acute leg and back pain, with symptoms usually lasting from several days to a few weeks. The other type is chronic leg and back pain, which last for more than two months. This type of pain is often a symptom of another, more serious, underlying condition. If you suffer from chronic leg and back pain, it's important to see your doctor to determine the cause. People can suffer from leg and back pain for a number of reasons. Two of the most common causes are sciatica and lumbar spine stenosis. Lumbar Spine Stenosis This degenerative disease of the lumbosacral spine affects up to 90 percent of the U.S. population, particularly those in the middle aged and elderly age groups. Lumbar spine stenosis causes disability, loss of productivity and morbidity. This devastating disease occurs when nerves found within the spine called cauda equina roots become entrapped within the dural sac. There is excruciating and incapacitating leg and back pain. The entrapment of the cauda equina roots is a result of the progressive hypertrophy of any of the osseocartilaginous and ligamentous elements, the soft tissues surrounding the spinal canal. To further complicate the problem, these degenerative changes or trauma can rupture or herniate the intervertebral disc. This disc is composed of a gelatinous, centrally located nucleus pulposes and a peripherally located annulus fibrosis. Lumbar stenosis mostly affects middle-aged to elderly men, although it has been known to occur in women and younger patients. Leg and back pain is the earliest symptom of the disease. Unfortunately, many patients choose to treat the pain with self-care methods, rather than consulting a physician or specialist, resulting in delayed diagnosis. Sciatica When a herniated lumbar disc affects the sciatic nerve, it causes a condition known as sciatica. The sciatic nerve travels down from the lower back, through the buttocks and into the leg. Pain can occur in any of these affected areas. Those who suffer with sciatica report mild to severe leg and back pain. The degeneration (herniation) of the lumbar disc causes it to compress onto one of the contributing roots of the sciatic nerve, causing sharp and 'shooting' leg and back pain. Pain in the leg, posterior, thigh or foot can often be much worse than the accompanying lower back pain. At the onset, the patient will usually experience severe pain that originates in the buttocks and runs all the way down through the legs or foot. In some cases, there may be no accompanying back pain. Effective treatment of either of these causes of leg and back pain begins with the ability to treat the disorders themselves. You'll find little to no relief from typical self-help remedies including over-the-counter pain medications. Your ability to detect the disorder in the early stages will help you to find effective pain relief, so be sure to consult with your health care professional if you suffer from chronic leg and back pain. Article Source: http://www.articlewheel.com
Columnist Myron Huett contributes to a variety of popular web magazines, on womens health and health store themes.
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