Approximately 1 in 6 people experience back pain in the UK. Fortunately, it’s usually a short-lived episode with no serious consequences, and most cases are managed without seeing a doctor. Back pain can usually be treated with painkillers, hot and cold compresses, and by avoiding strenuous activity. More severe or chronic back pain may require medical attention. Back pain can arise from a variety of causes, and there are several factors, such as age, lifestyle, and weight, that can increase the likelihood of it occurring. Thankfully, there are several measures you can take to manage and treat symptoms of back pain. In this guide, we’ll talk you through the possible causes and suitable treatment options to help you live a happy and healthy life. About your back The back is a complex structure that comprises the bones of the spine (vertebrae), stacking on top of each other with the spinal cord - a bundle of nerves providing vital signals to the body - running through them. Movement of the back comes from ligaments, tendons and surrounding muscles. Intervertebral discs provide a cushion between each vertebra, and your rib cage encloses the lungs from front to back, where it attaches to the vertebrae. The spine flexes side to side and front to back, and it has 4 natural curves, named the cervical (neck), thoracic (upper), lumbar (lower) and sacral (lowest) regions. The lower back is the part most vulnerable to injury, as it carries most of the load if we’re lifting something. Injury is usually to the muscles here, and doctors call this mechanical back pain or musculoskeletal back pain, but anywhere in the back – upper, middle or lower – can become injured and painful, and it may only affect one side. Referred pain from surrounding organs and structures can be felt in the back, such as kidney pain in either side of your flanks, lung conditions, pain from the heart or major blood vessels in the chest, and injury or illness referred from the shoulders, neck or pelvis. There are certain cases where we as doctors worry about what’s causing back pain, and these can relate to your age, how long you've been suffering, specific symptoms and any underlying health conditions or lifestyle risk factors. Let's take you through worrying symptoms and signs of backache, and ways to help heal a back injury.

Back pain is extremely common and many of us have experienced it at some time in our lives. There are many possible causes of back pain and it can be short-lived and severe, or more chronic and low-level. Whatever the cause, back pain may also be linked to feeling dizzy, and there are a number of conditions that can cause dizziness and which can also involve back discomfort. We look at some of the common ones in this article. Remember - you can suffer from any of these conditions with or without back pain.

If you're suffering from pain in your knee when you go up or down stairs, you're not alone. This is a really common problem, especially in people after they reach middle age as cartilage wears down around the joints. The pain you feel in your knee will differ from person to person and could start immediately when you go up or down the first step, or could happen later on, particularly if you've overexerted yourself. Read on to find out why you could be feeling knee pain on the stairs and how to treat it.

Ankle pain is one of the most common types of joint pain, and there are many different causes. If you have had a trauma like a high-impact sports injury, there may be the possibility of a broken bone. If you have not had any trauma, there are many different causes such as skin problems, joint problems like arthritis or gout, muscle and tendon problems like Achilles tendinopathy, and many more. If you have severe pain, or pain that is not settling with simple pain relief, you may need to seek advice from your doctor.

Wrist pain is common, and there are many different causes. If you have had some sort of trauma like a high-impact injury such as a fall there may be the possibility of a broken bone. If you have not had any trauma, there are many different causes such as skin problems, joint problems like arthritis or gout, muscle and tendon problems like repetitive strain injury, along with many more. If you have severe pain, or pain that is not settling with some simple pain relief then you may need to seek advice from your doctor.

Shoulder pain is one of the most common and debilitating joint problems, especially as we get older. As GPs, more than a quarter of our consultations are musculoskeletal problems, so we’re used to managing this. But we’re always on alert for the rare occasion that something is seriously wrong, and we need to get a patient the right help with speed. Along with GPs, many surgeries offer a first-contact physiotherapy service to triage your problem and manage it – you may even be able to refer yourself without speaking to your GP. It’s a great service but you may have a few weeks’ wait. In this article we’ll go through some of the more serious symptoms relating to shoulder pain, and when you should be urgently seeking help from your GP (or Emergency Department in some circumstances), rather than waiting for a routine appointment or physio assessment.

Waking up with shoulder pain in the morning is never an ideal way to start the day. It can make your morning activities all the more difficult before you've even left the house for the day. Brushing your teeth, getting dressed, and washing your hair can all feel much harder than they need to. If you can relate to this, you might be wondering what's going on, and what action you need to take. The good news is that there are plenty of ways to relieve and prevent shoulder pain in the morning. In this article, we'll take a look into the possible reasons for your morning shoulder pain, and what you can do to alleviate it.

Sitting in front of a computer screen for hours each day isn’t the best for your health yet for many of us, it’s unavoidable due to our jobs. Whether you're working in an office or working remotely, you’re likely in front of a computer screen for close to 8 hours which can lead to all sorts of aches and pains. Work-related shoulder pain is affecting people more and more frequently today and one of the most common ailments is shoulder pain from using a mouse, known as mouse shoulder. In this article, we’ll cover the symptoms of mouse shoulder, what can cause it, ways to treat this type of joint pain and how you can prevent it from happening. What is mouse shoulder? A common issue that people get from using a computer mouse for an extended period with poor posture or lack of support is mouse shoulder. It’s a form of a Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) which is due to overusing muscles or straining them by doing the same actions. Mouse shoulder often feels like a deep aching or burning sensation in your shoulder and neck on the side you have been using a mouse. Carpal tunnel syndrome is another ailment brought on by your mouse, causing pain in your wrist and hand.

Our ankle joints are complex joints joining each of our legs to our feet and are made up of ligaments, muscle, nerves, cartilage and blood vessels. They move each time we move our feet or legs and they allow our ankles to move in two directions - up (known as dorsiflexion) and down (called plantar flexion). The ankle joint carries our weight and so can be under stress a lot of the time, which can sometimes cause discomfort or pain. If you have pain at the back of your ankle, called posterior ankle pain, this can be very painful and interfere with normal activities such as walking, running, jumping or stretching. We know how frustrating this can be for you so in this article we look at the common causes and symptoms of posterior ankle pain. We’ll also give you advice on how to treat it - both medically and with self-care - how to prevent it, and what to do if you suffer from chronic pain in this part of your body. If you want to know how to get rid of that pain you’ve had for ages in the back of your ankle, read on! What are the causes of pain in the posterior ankle? There are a number of possible causes of posterior ankle pain and so you may need an opinion from a healthcare professional to get an accurate diagnosis if your symptoms do not settle with self care treatments. The usual causes of this pain are posterior ankle impingement, Sever’s disease, heel spurs, and inflammation or rupture of the Achilles tendon at the back of the heel. Posterior ankle impingement. Sometimes known as posterior ankle impingement syndrome (PAIS), this usually occurs when a muscle, ligament or bone pinches the back of the foot and is common in sportsmen and women who move their feet repetitively in a certain way, causing their feet to point down repeatedly - such as in football players, ballet dancers and trail runners for example. Sever’s disease is heel pain that occurs when the Achilles tendon is too tight and puts too much pressure on the soft cartilage at the end of the heel bone, known as the growth plate. It is common in children between the ages of 8 and 14 years who do lots of running or jumping and who are going through a growth spurt. Fortunately this doesn’t cause any long-term damage and usually goes away as the child gets older. Heel spurs are bony growths that stick out from the bottom of your heel, where your heel bone connects to the ligament running between your heel and the ball of your foot. They usually develop over time and are quite common. Inflammation of the achilles tendon at the back of your heel (Achilles tendinopathy) causes pain, swelling and stiffness of that area and is thought to be caused by repeated tiny injuries to the Achilles tendon. It is common in runners and people who play a lot of sports or in people who exercise regularly in the wrong kind of footwear. If the Achilles tendon tears by more than 50% or snaps completely it is said to be ruptured and this is usually obvious at the time this happens, causing very characteristic symptoms. If you are not sure if you have ruptured your Achillies we have an artice on Achillies tendon rupture which may help you.

For those going through menopause, the change usually happens between the ages of 45 and 55, but can occur earlier or later too. It's a natural process that can lead to several physical and emotional changes, including hot flushes, anxiety, irregular periods and mood swings. But, one thing that is less commonly talked about is the effects that menopause can have on the joints - specifically, the feet and ankles. If you are wondering whether menopause can cause painful feet and ankles, you certainly aren't alone. It's actually something that some women going through menopause experience. Menopause occurs due to a reduction in key hormone levels like oestrogen. While foot and ankle pain may not be caused entirely by reduced hormone levels, it can definitely play a part. Let's take a closer look at the link between joint pain and menopause.

Discomfort under your heel when walking can be due to many things, but one of the common issues is plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis is very common and is believed to affect up to 1 in 20 adults at some stage in their lives. The condition is common in middle age and most often develops in people aged 40-60. Whilst in the majority of cases it will improve on its own, it can cause significant discomfort and have a huge impact upon sufferers.

Neck pain is a very common complaint. It is estimated that over two-thirds of adults will experience an episode of neck pain at some time. In most cases, neck pain is not serious and resolves within a few days. Isolated neck pain, or simple neck pain, describes pain felt in the neck and/or around the shoulders without spreading into the arms or down the spine towards the lower back..