The spine is our body's central support system. It connects different parts of your musculoskeletal system. Your spine helps you sit, stand, walk, twist and bend. Back pain and other spinal pains are now common in both old and young people. Back pain is a serious issue as it can make any person bed-ridden for days and even for years. Around 20% who suffer from back and neck pain are in the age group of 16-34. On average 45% of people in India neglect their spinal treatment for more than 7 weeks. 

World Spine Day is celebrated on October 16 to inform people about the struggles faced by spinal pain and its disability. The day seeks to promote the overall health and wellbeing of one’s spine. The day is organized by the World Federation of Chiropractic. A good posture and staying active are important to ensure good spinal health. We at Medicircle are conducting the World Spine day Awareness Series wherein we will be featuring experts in this field to understand and create awareness about good spine health.

Dr. Satyen Mehta is a Spine Surgeon practicing in Mumbai for over 15 years. He has a special interest in minimally invasive spine surgery. He is a gold medalist in Orthopedics. He has done multiple spine fellowships in various countries including Australia, South Korea, and the UK. He is attached to various hospitals in Mumbai including Hinduja hospital, Fortis hospital and Criticare hospital. He is also the head of the Spine Unit at Surana Sethia Hospital. He has his private clinic as Spine Specialist Clinic in Mumbai. He is also the Hon Secretary of Bombay Spine Society.

Causes of back pain – 

Dr. Satyen explains, “Commonest cause is degenerative, breakage of the disc. It hurts when the neck of the nerve gets pinched. The pain migrates from neck to arms and back to legs. Therefore, it is not certain.

As the age advances, the pain intensifies. Thus, this problem is very common in older patients in the age group of 60-70 years. Nerve compression causes nerve root pain. 

Other factors such as TB, tumors, fractures can also cause back pain. Significant reduction in body weight is also a matter of concern.

If you are having back pain, don’t ignore it. It is always good to investigate if it's not getting better. 

Is age a factor for spine pain?

Dr. Satyen describes, “Based on the age group, we can find out the probable cause for pain. For the 20-45 age group, back pain can be due to disc orientation, muscle variation. It is common in older age due to arthritis, tumor, or fractures. Osteoporotic is very common in old age women, they are prone to fractures. So, there are different reasons according to the different age groups which can cause back pain. Early diagnosis is very important because delay in diagnosis and treatment can result in more invasive treatment. If someone is suspected of osteoporosis, it is better to seek treatment before the disease progresses. As we all know, prevention is better than cure. If any adolescent child is complaining of back pain, parents should not ignore it because early diagnosis of any disease is easily treatable.”

Spine pain-causing mortality is very rare 

Dr. Satyen says, “Mortality due to spinal pain is very rare. But it can happen. Death may be because of a tumor. Cancer cells spread easily in the spine. Death can also be because by TB infections. Early diagnosis is key. Osteoporosis in older women can lead to a bent spine. This reduces the capacity of the lungs. The patient has difficulty in breathing as well predisposes the body to infections. But after surgery, these patients can get straight. The surgery also improves their lungs functions. Surgeries can also improve their quality of life.” 

Tips for a healthy spine

Dr. Satyen gives some important tips for a healthy spine

Maintain a Healthy lifestyle - Regular exercises, yoga, pranayama. Do as many physical exercises to keep your back muscles stronger. For younger age and middle age, core exercise is very essential. If you are physically strong, there is a high chance of quick recovery from any injury or problem.

Maintain your body weight - It shouldn’t be too low or too high. You need to have adequate proteins in your diet to build muscles. Vegetarians can take dal as supplementation. One should also take calcium-rich food in a regular diet like milk, curd. After menopause taking calcium supplementation is a good idea.

Strict No to the use of cigarettes and tobacco - It reduces pain intolerance and healing. Visit the doctor for any problems that do not get better in 1-2 days.

(Edited by Renu Gupta)