Prince Harry has addressed his father’s chronic neck and back pain in his sensational new memoir.
The Duke of Sussex described King Charles’ health problems, writing about how his father struggled with “constant neck and back pain”, which he partly blamed on his father’s old polo injuries.
But Charles (74) is not the only one suffering from the pain.
Here, MailOnline explains everything you need to know about the common disease that is destroying the lives of millions of people around the world.
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Chronic back pain – described as aching, hot, burning, shooting or stabbing pain – affects about 1 in 13 adults, according to data.
And eight out of ten people will experience back pain at some point in their lives.
It can be caused by a number of factors, including a muscle strain, a herniated disc – when soft tissue bulges between bones in the spine – and sciatica, a pinched nerve.
Charles himself suffered a herniated disc in the early 1990s and missed Royal Ascot in 1991.
Two years later he aggravated the injury when he fell from a horse in Windsor.
He agreed to play only for charity after his doctor warned that his condition could worsen if he continued to play competitively.
His signature gait – with his fingers crossed behind his back – is believed to be a therapeutic trick to ease his back pain.
But many cases of back pain—which usually go away on their own within a few weeks—are not caused by an injury. Instead, stress, a bad mood and inactivity may be to blame.
Normal activities and movements under stress, tension or fatigue can also increase the risk of pain because it makes the back more sensitive to movement.
Aging is not a cause of back pain, nor is poor posture or lifting and squatting – although these are all common beliefs.
In extremely rare cases, back pain can be a sign of a more serious problem, such as cancer, an infection or a broken bone.
Back pain is rarely dangerous and unlikely to involve serious tissue damage or require patients to use a wheelchair, the NHS said.
Staying active—even if it’s just walking—taking anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen and using an ice or heat pack can help ease back pain.
However, staying longer in bed does not help, even if the patients feel pain during exercise and sports.
Doctors say this is because pain is only a reflection of how sensitive the body is – not how damaged a person’s back is. The pain usually decreases with more activity.
Sufferers are advised to contact their doctor if symptoms do not improve within a few weeks of using these drugs.
Medical help should also be sought if the pain is severe enough for daily activities, gets worse over time or is difficult to control, says the NHS.
A doctor may prescribe pain relievers or other medications to relax the back muscles.
The Duke of Sussex (38) described how King Charles III. suffers from old polo injuries and has to undergo daily physical therapy
Charles, here with Harry, practiced headstands and asked people not to open the door and enter
Between the lines, Harry alluded to his father’s lack of privacy due to his back and neck problems
In Spare, the Duke of Sussex revealed how his father would play with him and his brother, the Prince of Wales, at Sandringham
Harry explains how he felt his father, King Charles III, stopped physical play before he and William needed it
Prince Harry’s SPARE, memoir will be released worldwide on January 10
They may also refer people with back pain to physical therapy, manual therapy—when a trained therapist massages and moves the back muscles—or cognitive behavioral therapy to relieve pain.
Long-term back pain patients may be sent for a procedure where nerves in their back are cut so they stop sending pain signals.
But spinal injections, surgery, and strong drugs are usually not a cure and are not considered effective for long-term pain relief.
And if the pain is caused by a specific medical condition, such as B. a herniated disc, surgery may be recommended.
Scans are not usually necessary for people with back pain as they rarely reveal the cause of back pain.
Although the royal family is notoriously tight-lipped about their medical struggles, Prince Harry revealed Charles’ struggles in his book, due out next week, but mistakenly published early in Spain.
He describes how his father did daily exercises, including handstands, “in his pants, leaning against the door, or hanging from a pole like a skilled acrobat.”
The father of two then went on to refer to Charles’ privacy regarding those exercises and health care.
He wrote: “If you even put your pinky finger on the doorknob, you’ll hear it pleading from the other side: ‘No, no, don’t open it. My god, don’t you dare open it.’ ‘
However, as Charles reached middle age, Harry recalled that he became “more settled, more predictable”.
He said he loved his routine, saying that ‘he wasn’t the typical dad who played tirelessly or threw a ball at you until dark.’ He was on point.’
But referring to Charles, who is an elderly father, Harry explained how “he stopped participating in this type of physical play much earlier” than he and William “could have needed.”
He wrote: “He stopped walking and was out of breath.”
The king previously joked that “parts of me often fall off”.
It comes after Adele revealed her own battle with sciatica.
The condition occurs when the nerve – which runs from the lower back to the feet – becomes irritated or compressed.
This causes the buttocks, back of the leg, foot or toes to feel painful, tingling, numb or weak.
It usually only lasts four to six weeks.
The singer, 34, shared that she had “really bad sciatica” during one of her residency gigs in Las Vegas last weekend.
She said it makes her “wobble these days”.
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
