Rehabilitation Sciences and professor
in the Department of Physical Ther-
apy at the University of Pittsburgh.
Back pain that lasts 12 weeks or
more is considered chronic. If the
cause isn’t obvious (a fall or a car
accident, for example), don’t just treat
the symptoms with, say, an NSAID
such as ibuprofen. It’s important to
work with your doctor to figure out
what’s going on. “Pain can be a signal
of ongoing tissue or nerve damageor spinal problems that need to be
addressed,” says pain scientist Beth
Darnall, PhD, an associate professor
in the Department of Anesthesiology,
Perioperative and Pain Medicine
at Stanford University School of
Medicine.
If your back pain is new, continue
your daily activities, but take it easy
when exercising. Most of the time,
you’ll start feeling better within three
days. Once you’re on the upswing, talk72 april 2020