MANILA – The spine requires proper care, just like the heart and brain, a health expert said Tuesday in line with the celebration of World Spine Day.
"The back or the spine is as important as the other organs because damage to it can limit your productivity, mobility, quality of life," Philippine Rheumatology Association president Julie Li-Yu told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) in an interview.
Li-Yu said proper care for the spine may start with proper consultation in case of back pain, as not all back pains are the same.
"Back pain is the number one consult of patients to us. In fact, we have a lot of working people, retirees, studying teens, working early adults telling us about back pain. This is the challenge to us and general care practitioners. For the back pain, we have to be vigilant as to who among those with back pain needs to be seen by specialists," she said.
Stressing that some back pains are not "mechanical" or caused by strenuous activities, Li-Yu said it is not advisable for people with back pain to depend on pain relievers.
"That's the standard if there is a pain you want to be relieved somehow. I don't think it's wrong. What makes it wrong is you tend to neglect that these pain medicines are not working, that you don't consult proper authorities about this," she added.
Li-Yi said if a person has back pain for at least three months, he could be suffering from a serious spinal problem, such as Ankylosing Spondylitis, a form of arthritis that affects the spine.
"Iba naman kapag may deformities (It is different if there are deformities), like scoliosis can also cause back pain. Nonetheless, if the pain has been nagging you for months, you need to think because that is already enough time for you to see a specialist," she said.
Unless a person has a disability or a severe back problem, Li-Yu suggested exercises that could help strengthen the back or spine.
"Exercise can help your back greatly. Even for people with inflammatory back pain, exercise could be part of the treatment, but you need to know the contraindications for you to do exercise," she added.
Li-Yu said proper care for the spine includes observing the right posture when standing or sitting, and sleeping in a comfortable position.
"Make sure that there is a proper cushion or mattress where you lie down. Don't use a very saggy mattress," she added. (PNA)
