BACK PAIN + CANNABIS BY HEATHER DEROSE
DIS-LIST
Pain is the body’s way of alarming something isn’t right. Whether it is because of disease or injury, pain is the most common reason people seek medical assistance. Pain has many causes and affects everyone differently, which can be problematic to treat. According to the Mayo Clinic, “Back pain is one of the most common reasons people go to the doctor or miss work, and it is a leading cause of disability worldwide. Most people have back pain at least once.”1 Common symptoms of back pain include muscle aches, shooting or stabbing pain, pain that radiates down the legs, pain that worsens with bending, lifting, standing or walking, and pain that improves with reclining. Back pain occurring suddenly, without previous symptoms, and lasting less than six weeks is considered acute back pain and is typically caused by a fall or heavy lifting. Less common is back pain lasting longer than three months, which is considered chronic. Oftentimes, back pain is caused by a muscle ligament or strain, bulging or ruptured discs in the spine, arthritis, skeletal irregularities, and osteoporosis. Developing back pain is more common with older age; lack of exercise, excess weight, diseases such as arthritis and cancer, improper lifting, psychological conditions such as anxiety or depression, and smoking can all increase the risk.
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Although a number of factors are involved with developing back pain, there are measures to help prevent pain occurring such as exercising, maintaining a healthy weight, lifting properly, and quit-
