Hyderabad: World Spine Day is observed on October 16th with the aim of motivating people all over the world to maintain the health of the spine and to make them aware about back pain and other diseases related to the spine and their treatment.
The number of back pain patients around the world has been increasing continuously in the last few years. Back pain is usually caused by the impact of the spinal cord which is considered to be the basis of our body due to poor posture, accidents, running life, bad roads, lack of nutrition and many other reasons. Even at times, problems in the spinal cord can also cause disabilities in the person.
World Spine Day is celebrated every year on October 16th to make people aware of the importance of a healthy spine and to make them aware of spinal diseases and their treatments. This year this 14th annual campaign is being celebrated around the theme "Every Spine Counts".
World Spine Day was started by the World Federation of Chiropractic in 2008. The main objective of which was to create a platform on the global stage to raise awareness about back pain and other spinal issues. It was celebrated for the first time in the year 2012 with a theme "Straighten Up and Move".
Significantly, back pain or spinal pain has always been a common disease in humans. The reasons and remedies responsible for this problem are also mentioned in many ancient surgical texts. Over time, there has been a lot of progress in the field of knowing the causes of back pain and in the investigation and treatment of the severity of problems related to the spinal cord.
The introduction of new imaging techniques in this area, first X-rays, and then by the 1980s, CT scans and MRIs made investigation of the causes of back pain or spinal pain much more accessible. In the present time, these testing techniques have become very advanced. At the same time, state-of-the-art treatment is available for the treatment of spinal problems and surgery. It is worth noting that on this World Spine Day held annually, more than 800 government, non-government, medical and social organizations from all over the world organize various types of awareness programs and campaigns.
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In the year 2022 #EverySpineCounts has been chosen as the theme of this day. Indeed, this topic throws light on the diverse challenges associated with living with spinal pain from all regions, cultures, backgrounds and throughout life. This time the theme aims to encourage people globally to improve lifestyle to maintain spinal health, be physically active, overcome nutritional deficiencies to maintain the health of the body, especially the spinal cord.
To encourage the adoption of diet and other means such as supplements when needed and to incorporate healthy habits in their daily routine. In addition, educating the public about the factors that affect spinal health, addressing the need for access to quality and essential spinal health services around the world, and the diverse challenges of living with low back pain for a lifetime. It is also the main purpose of choosing this theme.
According to various statistics, an estimated one billion people worldwide suffer from spinal pain. It can affect people suffering for life and sometimes it can also cause disability in a large number of people. Our spinal cord is the basis of our body's standing, so a pain, problem or disease in the spine can affect our body's ability to function. Sometimes this problem can also affect other parts of the body and their functions.
Many people also ignore back pain for a long time and keep on using pain killer medicines and pain relief balms to get relief. Which also causes harm to health many times. Experts believe that if the back pain is not getting better for more than 3 weeks, due to it there is a problem in standing straight, lying down or sitting and numbness is felt in the hands and feet, then check with an orthopedic specialist immediately. And counseling becomes necessary. Apart from this, it can be beneficial to take some special precautions to avoid backache or spinal problems and to take care in case of pain. Some of which are as follows:
- Leaning forward and lifting weights or heavy objects should be avoided. Always lift things while bending at your knees and keeping the spine straight.
- Posture should always be taken care of. Whether you are sitting or standing, the neck, shoulders and spine should always be straight.
- One should not sit in one posture for a long time, but take short breaks every hour and walk for a few minutes.
- One should avoid looking at mobile or working on laptop by bending the neck, shoulders and waist. On the other hand, one should avoid watching TV while sitting in a semi-recumbent position i.e. half-lying on the bed and half-sitting using shoulders and waist.
- Preference should be given to foods rich in calcium, vitamin D and bone-strengthening nutrition in the diet.
- Lifestyle should be active and regular exercise should be included in the routine.
- To keep bones strong and disease free in old age, bone density and bone health should be checked.
- Pain should never be ignored and a doctor should be contacted immediately if the problem worsens.
