This factsheet is for people who have back pain or would like to know more about it.
Back pain is extremely common - about eight in ten people in the UK are affected at some time in their lives. Each year, close to five million working days are lost due to back pain.
Acute and chronic back pain
Back pain can affect anyone at any age, although people are most likely to get it between the ages of 35 and 55.
If the pain lasts for less than three months, it's called acute back pain. Acute refers to how long it's lasted for rather than how severe it is. If the problem goes on for longer, it's known as chronic back pain.
How the back worksThe spine is made up of many small bones called vertebrae. These are separated by discs, which allow the spine to bend. This structure of vertebrae and discs is supported along its length by muscles and ligaments. The spine threads through the centre of each vertebra, carrying nerves from the brain to the rest of the body.
Back pain
Simple back pain
Back pain in 19 out of 20 people is linked to the way the bones, ligaments and muscles of the back work together. This is called simple back pain. The pain can begin suddenly but can also come on gradually due to strain over time. Usually nothing abnormal shows up in tests such as X-rays and nothing is permanently damaged.
Simple back pain is most common in adults aged 35 to 55 who are otherwise healthy. The pain is often in the lower back (lumbar region), and may also spread to the buttocks and thighs. It will come and go at different times, and depending on your level of activity.
Triggers for simple back pain include:
*poor posture
*standing or bending down for long periods
*sitting in a chair that doesn't provide enough back support
*lifting, carrying, pushing or pulling loads that are simply too heavy, or going
about these tasks in the wrong way
*a trip or a fall
Your spine is a very strong part of your body and is not easily damaged. If you have back pain, it's important that you stay physically active. This is good for your back because keeping active will help speed up your recovery from simple back pain. Nine out of ten people with back pain recover completely within six weeks.
Nerve root pain
Nerve root pain is rare - it's the cause in less than 1 in 20 cases of back pain. It is usually caused by one of the discs in the spine bulging out from its normal position. This is called a slipped disc.
Nerve root pain is normally felt in the lower part of the back. You may have pain down one or both of your legs to the calves, feet or toes. The pain is also called sciatica because the nerve that runs down each leg is called the sciatic nerve.
Other causes
In rare cases, there may be a more serious underlying cause of back pain, such as an abnormality of the spine, an infection or collapse of the vertebrae, tuberculosis or cancer.
These are more likely to be the case if your back pain starts gradually, gets worse over time and seems unrelated to your level of activity.
When to see a doctor
Most simple back pain only lasts a few days and gets better on its own. You should see a doctor as soon as possible if, as well as back pain, you have:
*fever
*redness or swelling on your back
*pain down your legs and below your knees
*numbness or weakness in one or both legs or around your anus
*loss of bladder or bowel control
You should also see your doctor about back pain if:
*pain is the result of an injury
*pain lasts for more than a few days in someone aged under 20 or over 55
*you have had cancer in any part of your body
*you have HIV/AIDS
*you have been prescribed steroid medicines for more than a few months
Why do we use the third finger of the left hand?
But even in these days of cardiothoracic science, it's not easy to put a ring around the heart. So in the old days they had a simple answer: they put the ring on the third finger which they believed had a vein, artery or nerve (a sort of a USB cable) running directly to the heart. And as the left hand is a bit closer to the heart than the right, they placed engagement and wedding rings on the third finger of the left hand. (In some period of the past, the ring was worn on the right hand; a practice that continues to this day in some cultures, since the right hand is considered more righteous.)
In chiromancy (a combination of astrology and palmistry) the third (Apollo) finger relates to the heart. Wearing a ring on that finger would not only protect the heart from evil spirits, but also enhance the life of the wearer by transmitting energy to the heart.
Following this line of quacky reasoning, it was the custom for physicians, herbalists and other healers, to use their third finger when applying medicinal ointment or powder to their patients, Using this finger strengthened the effectiveness of the cure.
So I'm telling you exactly what is on my mind
Seems like everybody is breaking up
Throwing their love away
I know I got a good thing right here
That's why I say
Nobody's going to love me better
I must stick with you forever
Nobody's going to take me higher
I must stick with you
You know how to appreciate me
I must stick with you
My baby
Nobody ever made me feel this way
I must stick with you
I don't want to go another day
So I'm telling you exactly what is on my mind
See the way we ride
In our private lives
Ain't nobody getting in between
I want you to know that you're the only one for me
And I say
Nobody's going to love me better
I must stick with you forever
Nobody's going to take me higher
I must stick with you
You know how to appreciate me
I must stick with you
My baby
Nobody ever made me feel this way
I must stick with you
And now
Ain't nothing else I can need
And now
I'm singing 'cause you're so, so into me
I got you
We'll be making love endlessly
I'm with you
Baby, you're with me
So don't you worry about
People hanging around
They ain't bringing us down
I know you and you know me
And that's all that counts
So don't you worry about
People hanging around
They ain't bringing us down
I know you and you know me
And that's why I say
Nobody's going to love me better
I must stick with you forever
Nobody's going to take me higher
I must stick with you
You know how to appreciate me
I must stick with you
My baby
Nobody ever made me feel this way
I must stick with you
Nobody's going to love me better
I must stick with you forever
Nobody's going to take me higher
I must stick with you
You know how to appreciate me
I must stick with you
My baby
Nobody ever made me feel this way
I must stick with you
~ The Pussycat Dolls ~
