For minor injuries, people should take ibuprofen as needed and begin resuming their regular activities as soon as possible. Carscadden advises a maximum of three days bed rest. The pain should start to subside in three to 10 days. Avoiding activities only makes it worse. Gaughan recommends seeing a doctor when there is a focal weakness, loss of sensation or if the pain interferes with the person s ability to function or enjoy life.
Spinal roots follow a path from the chord to the periphery.
At various levels of the spinal column, the nerve roots may become compressed, causing pain at a distant site, called referred pain. Thoracic pain, common in people with osteoporosis and diabetes, typically affects the chest and middle back. The spine is comprised of 24 individual bones called vertebrae. Ligaments are the bands of tissue which hold the bones together and provide stability. Joints are the place where two bones meet and are held together by the ligaments.