KUWAIT: Interventional radiology, spinal column and chronic pain consultant Dr Waleed Al-Hajji warned against neglecting any pain one feels in the back, as this may lead to unpleasant repercussions. Sufferers must go to the nearest hospital to find out the reasons so it can be treated more easily. He said any negligence in treating spinal disc herniation can lead to greater health problems and severe complications, and may need surgical intervention. He said neglecting treatment may even lead to weakness and sexual impotence due to pressure on the nerves.

Hajji finds the increase of disc, back and neck pain in youth as strange, as it was much less prevalent previously. He said this may be due to a lack of sporting activity or wrong practices, especially by youth who want to appear muscular quickly, in addition to new lifestyle changes such as having an unhealthy diet, eating junk food and lack of exercise.
Hajji said the elderly gets disc and back pain the most compared to other age groups, followed by youth who are younger than 30. He said the youngest case he treated was of a 16-year-old patient, which is rare. He said the rate of disc pain in the elderly compared to youth is 4 to 1, adding that the rate of spinal disc herniation patients increased lately in the Gulf region and may reach 55 percent in Kuwait.

By Abdellatif Sharaa