Back Pain
What Is Back Pain?
- Pain or discomfort in the upper, middle or lower back.
- Muscle strain from exercise and back injury.
Causes of Back Pain
- The strain of back muscles - back pain that occurs in adults is usually caused by muscle strain resulting from overexertion. The pain mainly localizes in the mid or lower back.
- Physical activity - lifting or carrying heavy weights, bending or unbending the back forcefully.
- Physical exercise - change in the type of exercise.
- Backpack - a common cause of back pain in school-age children. It can also cause shoulder and neck pain. The risk is highest in children of transitional age because their muscles are not yet formed.
- Kidney infection - pain on one side of the mid-back. Other signs include fever and pain when urinating.
- Kidney stone - pain is localized on one side in the mid-back and radiates to the lower abdomen. Urine contains blood.
The Severity of the Pain
- Mild: the child feels and complains of pain, but the pain does not interfere with regular activity. The rhythm of school, play and sleep does not change.
- Moderate: pain makes it difficult for the child to do some activities. The pain may wake the child up.
- Severe: robust and unbearable pain. It interferes with any regular activity.
Contact a Doctor Immediately In the Following Situations
- Strongly expressed severe pain.
- Pain begins after injury (e.g. traffic accident, sport, fall from height). Do not move the child at this time until the ambulance arrives.
- You think the child has a life-threatening or urgent condition.
- Cannot urinate at all or produces urine in droplets.
- Pain or burning when urinating and fever.
- Urine contains blood.
- They cannot walk at all or has difficulty walking.
- Pain radiates to the buttocks or hips.
- There is numbness in the limb.
- The child does not look well.
Contact Your Doctor within 24 Hours in the Following Situations
- Pain or burning sensation when urinating, without fever;
- Fever;
- Your child is not walking normally for three days or more;
- Age;
- Upper back pain;
- Pain lasting more than a week;
- The cause of the back pain is undetermined;
- Back pain has occurred within the past two weeks as a result of excessive physical activity;
- Back pain is a frequent problem.
Help at Home
Painkillers
- Paracetamol;
- Ibuprofen;
- It relieves back pain and relieves muscle cramps.
Cold Compresses or Ice Packs
- For pain or swelling, use ice wrapped in cloth for 20 minutes;
- Repeat four times on the first day;
- Relieves pain and relieves muscle spasms;
- Avoid local frostbite.
Use Heat After 48 Hours
- If the pain lasts more than two days, apply heat to the painful muscle area for 10 minutes;
- Heat increases blood flow and promotes healing;
- Avoid burns.
Sleep on the Side
- Lay a child on their side and put a pillow between their legs;
- If the child sleeps only on the back, put the pillow under the legs;
- Do not lay the child on the stomach;
- Do not lay the child on a soft mattress.
Physical Activity
- Do not let the child do any sport or work that makes the pain worse;
- Do not allow weight lifting or jumping;
- After 48 hours, start doing light exercises for the spine;
- Strict bed rest is not necessary.
Back Pain Prevention
- Limit the weight to be carried. It must be less than 15% of the body weight. For example, a child weighing 45 kg should not carry a weight greater than 7 kg.
- A sign that the child is carrying a hefty weight is that they lean forward when walking.
- Ensure that your child has a good-quality backpack with broad shoulder support.
- Do not allow the child to carry the load on one shoulder only, which causes pain in the shoulders and neck.
What to Expect
- Unreasonable back pain usually goes away after a few days.
- Back pain caused by muscle strain will disappear after 1-2 weeks.
