Healthy Life: Cause of Back Pain – Disc Bulge and Spur (490)

Healthy Life: Cause of Back Pain – Disc Bulge and Spur

蘇鎮邦 (Christopher So)：
舒整物理治療師 (Manipulative Physiotherapist) 人類工程師 (Ergonomist)

Back pain is one of the most common joint pains. It is one of the most common causes of work injures. As computer work becomes more prevalent in modern society, long hours of sitting and lack of exercises for many office workers lead to early spinal degeneration which is common among manual labourers. Thus the cause of back pain in office workers is incorrect posture and that of the manual labourers is incorrect lifting technique. Such causes are preventable. Ergonomics plays an important part in eliminating such causes.

Bony spurs and disc bulge are the common findings in spinal degeneration in low back pain patients. When they press on the spinal nerve, such compression can cause back pain and corresponding leg pain. In serious cases, it can cause muscle atrophy or wasting, incontinence and night pain that wakes up the sufferer.
The formation of bony spur is not bone growing out from the spinal verterbrae; rather it is the soft tissues attaching to the bone becoming calcified due to abnormal pressure put on them. Surgical removal of the bony spur without correcting the incorrect posture and lifting technique, means it will grow back. That is why it is more important to aim for prevention than finding a cure.

Disc bulge is usually caused by incorrect lifting technique without using the knees and keeping the back straight. The pressure on the spinal disc is three to five times more when the back is bent in the standing position than back in the lying position. When the jelly like or egg yoke annulus pulposus in the disc is squeezed out due to the tear or break in the annulus fibrosus which contains and protects its integrity. It can impinge onto the spinal nerves and cause referred leg pain or sciatica.

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Unfortunately, a lot of back problems have insidious onset. Many patients may have a twinge at some time and they won’t pay much attention. A few days or even weeks later, the accumulation of minor injuries will lead to the breaking point. Many have a sneeze, pick a piece of paper from the floor, or are bending down in the morning to turn on the hi-fi when they get cramp and are unable to move. It is important to consult a physiotherapist if you have mild back pain that does not go after 3-4 days. The earlier you go to have the appropriate treatment, the quicker you can recover.