Ghanaians advised to protect their spinal cord

Ghanaians have been urged to lead a healthy lifestyle that protects their spine and back. In a social media campaign dubbed "We Got Your Back," physiotherapist at Nadkof Physiotherapy and Wellness Center, Darlene Marfo said the campaign will educate citizens about the causes of back pain and what they can do to prevent back injuries.

The campaign is also expected to focus on senior citizens, who are usually are believed to be prone to spine problems.

The "We Got Your Back" campaign is being run with the hashtag #WeGotYourBack.

The general public is advised to take the opportunity and seek free consultation on all back problems from March 1 -March 31, 2023.

Back pain is one of the most common medical problems worldwide. Back pain may be experienced as a dull, constant ache or as a sudden, sharp, excruciating pain. Back pain is the type of pain that is usually felt in the back. According to the affected area, it may be categorized as neck pain (cervical), middle back pain (thoracic), lower back pain (lumbar), or coccydynia (tailbone or sacral pain).

The lumbar region remains the most commonly affected area. When one experiences back pain, it may be acute, subacute, or chronic, depending on the duration of the pain. Such pain may be felt as a mild pain, a shooting pain, or a piercing sensation. The pain, at times, may extend to the legs and arms.

Idiopathic, nonspecific back pain accounts for the greater number of back pain cases. Typical underlying processes include traumatic or degenerative alterations to the discs and facet joints, which can subsequently result in pain to the bones, joints, and extremities, as well as secondary pain in the muscles and nerves.

Back pain can also be brought on by conditions and inflammation affecting the gallbladder, pancreas, aorta, and kidneys. Back pain can also be caused by tumors of the vertebrae, neural tissues, and surrounding structures.

Back pain is so common that, according to research, as many as 95% of people experience it at some point in their lives. It is the most common cause of chronic pain and a major contributor to missed work hours and discomfort.

For many, back pain is self-limiting. It has been found that nine out of ten adults and five out of ten working adults experience this at some point in their lives. Many people who have back pain don't have severe, long-term pain; rather, they have mild pain.