You can banish back pain
Dr. Thomas Lieb, a physiatrist
with Mid-County Orthopedics
on the campus of SSM St.
Mary’s Health Center, cites a startling
statistic: Four out of five Americans will
eventually suffer low back pain. Fill in
the blanks below to see how much you
know about this common condition.
- Back pain can stem from stretched or strained _______, injuries, a slipped disk, being overweight, osteoporosis, bad posture, arthritis or pregnancy. “Rarely, infection or cancer may cause back pain,” adds Dr. Lieb.
- To ease back pain, try short periods resting on your back with your _____ raised on a pillow.
- “You may relieve back pain by taking over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen, acetaminophen or naproxen according to manufacturers’ instructions,” says Dr. Lieb. _______ or heat can also help.
- Sitting with your knees slightly higher than your _______ helps support your lower back. “Keep in mind that sitting worsens some back pain,” cautions Dr. Lieb.
- A good exercise to relieve back pain: Lie flat on your back with your knees bent. Using your hands, pull your knees as close as you can to your _______ and hold the stretch for a few seconds. Then, return to your original position, keeping your head down and not straightening your legs when you lower them. “Do this exercise five times in the morning and repeat in the afternoon,” says Dr. Lieb. “Your doctor can give you other good exercises to relieve your back pain and strengthen associated muscles.”
- Be sure to sleep in a position that minimizes _______ pressure. “For example, lie on your side with a pillow between your knees,” says Dr. Lieb. “If you only like to lie on your back, put some pillows under your knees to reduce the pressure on your spine.”
- Call your doctor if your back pain is severe enough to make movement difficult; if you feel weakness or tingling in your ____ or legs; if you run a fever or vomit; if you lose control of your bowels or bladder; or if your pain lasts longer than three days.
Choices:
a. knees
b. chest
c. ice
d. hips
e. muscles
f. arms
g. back
Answers:
1. e
2. a
3. c
4. d
5. b
6. g
7. f
At St. Mary’s Senior Care Center, specialists can coordinate health care for older adults and even arrange pickup for appointments. For more information or to talk to a physician in our Senior Care Center, please call 314-768-8100 or visit our Web site at www.stmarys-stlouis.com.
To find an orthopedic doctor who can help you with back pain, call 314-983-4700 or 314-SSM-DOCS.
