Low back pain is almost a common experience for many. At one time or another, almost everyone has experienced the soreness of backache, from nagging aches to disabling pains that limit their activity. Although usually self-limiting, knowing what might be causing the problem and how best to prevent it may make it somewhat more manageable.

Your spine consists of a collection of vertebrae (little bones), intervertebral discs, ligaments, and muscles supporting the spinal nerves; these nerves bridge the communication between your brain and your body. It is in that complex system, when any segment is strained or injured or degenerative, that gives rise to lower back pain.

A recent study in JAMA Network Open underscores the value of addressing lifestyle factors in the management of back pain. It showed that participants receiving lifestyle coaching focused on weight management, physical activity, sleep, diet, and stress had less pain and disability than those treated with standard care. They also had modest weight loss, which helps in the reduction of symptoms from back pain.

According to Dr. Chris Williams, one of the study's senior investigators, "Solving back pain needs to be more than fixing the back. We are rather like ecosystems in which many different factors interact to determine how we work and feel.

Traditional approaches such as painkillers and surgery sometimes do not touch the root of chronic back pain. Instead, a holistic approach that includes self-management, lifestyle changes, and preventative care equips the person with the autonomy to manage pain. This multidimensional care would not only manage symptoms but enhance the quality of life.

Common Causes of Lower Back Pain

Overactivity and Muscle Strain

Common causes include overexertion, for example an exciting first game of golf or a highly ambitious day of yard work. Muscles and ligaments become overstretched and or injured, creating temporary stiffness and soreness. This type of pain typically resolves in a few days, but repetitive episodes can irritate the lower back.

Disk Injuries and Herniation

The intervertebral disks are shock absorbers for the spine. Tears or herniations of these disks with age or injury can be painful. A herniated disk, commonly known as a "slipped disk," is a condition in which the jelly-like center bulges through the outer layer of the disk and may compress nearby nerves. This can cause sciatica, in which pain from the lower back radiates down to the legs.

Degenerative Conditions

Aging naturally wears down the structures of the spine. Osteoarthritis, spinal stenosis, and degenerative spondylolisthesis often develop as the disks shrink and joints deteriorate. These changes can cause pain, stiffness, and, in extreme cases, nerve compression.

Scoliosis and Compression Fractures

Abnormal curvature of the spine (scoliosis) or fractures due to osteoporosis are less common but significant causes of back pain, especially in older adults.

Lifestyle-Related Factors

Poor posture, smoking, excess weight, and lack of physical activity are some of the causes of chronic low back pain. Each of these factors increases strain on the spine or accelerates its natural degeneration.

Identifying Symptoms

Low back pain varies in presentation based on the cause. It may be sharp, dull, intermittent, or constant. Common symptoms include:

• Pain worsened by bending, lifting, sitting, or standing.
• Pain that spreads to the buttocks or legs, as in sciatica.
• Recurring pain that may have good and bad days.

Red Flags: Go to the doctor right away if you have any of the following: fever, chills, unexplained weight loss, or loss of bladder or bowel control, which can be a sign of a serious underlying condition.

Taking Proactive Steps to Prevent Lower Back Pain

Though some causes of back pain, such as aging, are unavoidable, healthy habits can reduce the risk:

Exercise Regularly

Combine aerobic exercises like walking or swimming with targeted strength training to maintain a strong and flexible core. Exercises that strengthen the back and abdominal muscles provide stability and reduce strain.

Use Proper Lifting Techniques

Try to avoid bending at the waist when lifting heavy items. Instead, squat down while keeping your back straight and allow your legs to help support the load.

Maintain a Healthy Weight

Excess weight puts extra pressure on the lower back. A well-balanced diet and regular exercise can help maintain your weight and take some of that pressure off.

Quit Smoking

Smoking contributes to disk degeneration and delays healing. Removing tobacco can help slow this progression and promote overall spinal health.

Maintain Good Posture

Be mindful of your posture when sitting, standing, or sleeping. Properly designed ergonomic chairs, supportive mattresses, and learning proper alignment can prevent undue stress on your spine.

Healthy Lifestyle Care vs Guideline-Based Care for Low Back Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2025

In a promising step towards tackling the global health crisis of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), researchers from the Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology Delhi (IIIT-Delhi), India, and Inria Saclay, France, have developed a powerful artificial intelligence (AI) tool. This new system is designed to help clinicians identify effective treatments for drug-resistant bacterial infections by repurposing existing antibiotics, potentially transforming infection management worldwide.

Understanding the Threat of AMR

Antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria evolve to resist the effects of antibiotics, making once-effective drugs useless. This growing issue threatens to turn minor infections like urinary tract infections or pneumonia into life-threatening conditions. The problem is especially severe in low- and middle-income countries, where over 70% of hospital-acquired infections are resistant to at least one widely used antibiotic.

Adding to the challenge is the slow pace of antibiotic development. Creating a new drug often takes over ten years and involves substantial financial investment. As a result, scientists and clinicians are increasingly looking to drug repurposing—finding new uses for existing medications—as a faster, more cost-effective solution.

How the AI Tool Works

To support this strategy, a team led by Dr. Emilie Chouzenoux from Inria Saclay and Dr. Angshul Majumdar from IIIT-Delhi has developed a hybrid machine learning algorithm that can recommend treatment alternatives for resistant infections. Other key team members include research engineer Stuti Jain and graduate students Kriti Kumar and Sayantika Chatterjee.

What sets this tool apart is its unique blend of clinical and molecular data. Instead of relying solely on rigid databases or predefined rules, the AI model learns from real-world treatment guidelines provided by top Indian hospitals. It then integrates this information with bacterial genomic data and the chemical structures of antibiotics to identify effective, lesser-known alternatives.

Tested Against Deadly Pathogens

The AI system was tested on several challenging pathogens known for their resistance to treatment:

• Klebsiella pneumoniae, which causes hospital-acquired pneumonia and bloodstream infections
• Neisseria gonorrhoeae, responsible for gonorrhea, which is increasingly difficult to treat
• Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium that causes tuberculosis

In each case, the AI tool successfully recommended antibiotics that had either proven effectiveness or strong potential for repurposing. These results were validated by resistance data and clinical experts.

A Global Solution for a Global Problem

“This is an excellent example of how AI and international collaboration can come together to solve real-world medical challenges,” said Dr. Majumdar. He added that this approach makes better use of existing medical knowledge and enables quicker, smarter responses to the AMR crisis.

Designed for scalability, the AI system can be integrated into hospital networks or public health programs, especially in settings with limited diagnostic tools. It not only aids in timely treatment decisions but also supports responsible antibiotic use.

By linking clinical expertise with molecular science, this innovation marks a significant leap in the global fight against AMR—showcasing how collaborative, data-driven technologies can pave the way for better healthcare solutions.

The new variant of COVID-19 has hit parts of Asia, cases have surged in Hong Kong and Singapore, and Thailand too has reported new cases. Amid all this, in India too, health authorities are monitoring the cases closely. While the numbers remain low, as compared to previous wave of COVID-19, certain Indian cities have reported low, but significant surge in infections.

Two mild cases of Covid-19 have been reported in Gurgaon— a 62-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman, both recently returned from Mumbai. District health officials, including Chief Medical Officer Dr. Alka Singh, assured that there’s no reason for alarm as both are in home isolation and recovering well.

“This is now an endemic. Many with symptoms may test positive, but there’s no cause for panic,” Dr. Singh told reporters on Thursday.

Meanwhile, a 28-year-old security guard from Faridabad tested positive at Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital during treatment for similar symptoms. None of the three individuals have recent foreign travel history or contact with known Covid-positive persons. Variant identification is pending further lab testing.

Maharashtra

In May, Mumbai has reported 95 new cases of COVID-19. This has put the state's total number to 106 since January. The data is corroborated by the Maharashtra Health Department.

Currently, at least 16 people are hospitalized, and most have been shifted from KEM Hospital to Seven Hills Hospital to curb the transmission. Authorities have also increased testing all patients with influenza-like illness (ILI) or with severe cute respiratory infection (SARI). The same patients are now being tested for COVID-19.

Pune too is on high alert, though there are no active cases at the moment. The municipal officials have reserved 50 beds at Naidu Hospital as a precautionary measure. Dr Nina Borade, who is the health chief at Pune Municipal Corporation said, "We had only one patient in May - an 87-year-old from Manjari - who has since fully recovered," as reported by TOI.

Dr Borade also noted that tests are not being conducted at any civic hospitals, however, the guidelines will be updated, as and when it is required.

Tamil Nadu

There has been a surge in cases in Tamil Nadu, with 12 new COVID-19 cases being reported in Puducherry. In Chennai too, doctors have reported a shift where fevers which were previously linked with influenza are now being linked to COVID-19.

There is also a rise of COVID-19 cases among viral cases, and many of the patients who may have been diagnosed with influenza A or B, are now being checked for COVID-19 cases.

TOI reported that the public health director Dr TS Selvavinayagam has told the public to not panic, however, he has urged them to remain cautious when in crowded spaces.

Karnataka

At this moment, Karnataka has confirmed 16 active cases of COVID-19. The data is corroborated by the state health minister Dinesh Gundu Rao.

ALSO READ: Covid Cases Surge In Singapore: What Do We Know About The New Variant On The Loose?

Gujarat

Seven cases as of now are detected in Ahmedabad. All these cases were detected on a single day, which made the city to witness an unusual spike in just one day, that has averaged just one cases per month over the past year.

The 7 patients are kept in home isolation, and authorities have sent their samples for genomic testing.

The state health officials on Thursday confirmed that among the 15 active cases in Gujarat, all of them are milder Omicron JN.1 variant.

Singapore And Hong Kong

As per the Ministry of Health, Singapore, the spike in cases is attributed to the new variant which may be on the loose - LF.7 and NB.1.8. These two are descendants of the JN.1 variant.

The cases have also spiked in Hong Kong. Thus Hong Kong's Centre for Health Protection (CHP) said that the rising COVID activity reached a 1-year high and have urged people to take precautions and receive an initial dose of COVID vaccine as soon as possible.

The Ministry of Health, Singapore, informed, ""LF.7 and NB.1.8 are the main Covid-19 variants circulating in Signapore." They are the descendants of the JN.1 variant that is used in COVID-19 vaccines.

What are The Symptoms Of This New Variant?

The symptoms which are associated with this current Covid wave are a bit different from what we have seen before. While cough and sore throat are there, the symptoms also include nausea, vomiting, brain fog, and conjunctivitis.

The symptoms however are mild. The experts have for now asked people to monitor their health and seek medical attention in case it is required.

A new, not binding legally, 69-page long document was released on Thursday by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), titled Make America Healthy Again. The report revealed the health priorities of Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr and has stirred debate across medical and agricultural communities. The report is expected to guide health policies during the remaining term of President Trump's term. The report has, as expected questioned vaccine safety, and brought the spotlight to the dangers of ultra processed foods.

Vaccine Under The Microscope

The report has called for heightened scrutiny of childhood vaccine schedule. It has also raised concerns about mandatory school vaccinations and the lack of placebo-based trials. While vaccines has been credited for a long time for eliminating deadly diseases like measles and polio, Kennedy has remained a vaccine skeptic. He has further suggested an investigation. As the US News also reports, this report has been criticized by Dr Amesh Adalja of Johns Hopkins for presenting a report without any scientific evidence that links vaccine to rising conditions like autism or obesity.

“It’s not as if they’re positing any kind of causal link,” Adalja said. “Kennedy is trying to devalue vaccines in the minds of Americans.”

The report also notes to limit access to COVID-19 shots.

Chemical Safety In Food

Farming chemicals, particularly glyphosate—a widely used herbicide—are another focal point. The report cites World Health Organization findings that label glyphosate a probable carcinogen, although the EPA disputes this. Critics, including the National Corn Growers Association, condemned the report for spreading fear without solid evidence.

Yet, MAHA supporters like Dave Murphy, as US News reported, argue the report doesn’t go far enough in addressing pesticide-related health issues, warning of potential political consequences if the concerns are overlooked.

Ultra-processed Foods and Poor Nutrition

The strongest health key point that the report highlights is the industry of ultra-processed foods. This accounts for about two-thirds of American children and teens' diets. These foods are rich in sugar, refined grains, and additives. They are linked with chronic conditions like obesity, diabetes, and many more. As the US News reports, Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian of Tufts University called the report a “pretty accurate depiction” of America’s nutrition crisis.

The report urges the National Institutes of Health to conduct wide-scale studies on these products. However, the call comes amid proposed budget cuts of $18 billion to NIH, raising concerns about how this research will be funded.

Physical Inactivity And Over Medication

Kennedy’s report also flags concerns about overprescription in children, including common medications like antibiotics and ADHD treatments. It argues that children are “overmedicated and undernourished,” and that even the use of everyday painkillers should be reconsidered.

Additionally, the report laments the declining levels of physical activity among American youth, framing it as a contributor to the rise in chronic disease.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins acknowledged the challenges of satisfying both health advocates and industry stakeholders. The report attempts to balance these perspectives, though some in the administration remain wary of adopting stricter regulations.