Find Out About The Different Causes of Back Pain
Your back
is a complex structure made up of bones, muscles, nerves and joints. This can
often make it difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of the pain.
Most
cases of back pain aren’t caused by serious damage or disease but by minor
sprains, strains or injuries, or a pinched or irritated nerve.
These
types of back pain can be triggered by everyday activities at home or at work,
or they can develop gradually over time.
Possible
causes of back pain include:
- bending awkwardly or for long periods
- lifting, carrying, pushing or pulling heavy
objects - slouching in chairs
- twisting awkwardly
- overstretching
- driving or sitting in a hunched position or
for long periods without taking a break - overusing the muscles – for
example, during sport or repetitive movements
Back pain can develop suddenly for no apparent reason. For example, you may wake up one morning with
back pain and have no idea what’s caused it.
Back pain often happens because something is off in the way your
spinal joints, muscles, discs, and nerves fit together and move. Your
doctor can check to see if you have:
Herniated or slipped discs:
If your doctor mentions
this, the soft tissue in the discs between your joints has come out. It’s
usually caused by wear and tear. Herniated discs can cause pain in
your lower back or hip because the nerves there are pressed.
Bulging discs:
These protrude, or “bulge,”
but not as much as with a herniated disc. You don’t usually have symptoms with
this. You’ll feel it if it pushes on a nerve root, though.
Degenerative disc disease
: The discs, or “shock absorbers”
between your spine’s vertebrae, shrink or tear. That causes the bones to rub
together. This may happen as you get older.
Inflammation and wear of the sacroiliac
joint:
This
lies where your spine and pelvis come together. It doesn’t move much, but it’s
important because it moves the load of the upper body to the lower body.
Swelling and wearing away of the joint cartilage can happen after an injury,
because of arthritis, infection, or even pregnancy.
Spinal stenosis
: If you have this, your spinal
canal has narrowed. That adds pressure on your spine and nerves. As a result,
your legs and shoulders probably feel numb. This happens to many people older
than 60.
Cervical radiculopathy
: This is a pinched nerve.
It’s usually caused by a bone spur or a herniated disc.
Spondylolisthesis:
A bone in the spine slips
forward and out of place, typically in the lower back. The degenerative form of
this condition is arthritis, which weakens the joints and ligaments keeping the
spine aligned. It can cause a disc to move forward over a vertebra.
Accidents
and Injuries
Car accidents, falls, muscle
sprains, strains, and fractures are also causes of back pain.
Injuries can lead to some of the physical problems, but some can cause pain all
on their own.
Spine or vertebral fractures
: A break to your spine can be
causes by a hit to the back, a fall, or if you have osteoporosis, a
condition that weakens your bones.
Sprains and strains
: Injuries to ligaments, muscles,
and tendons that support the spine and its joints can lead to back pain. This
often happens when you lift something and twist at the same time. It can also
happen because of car accidents and sports injuries.
Spasms
: You can get these when muscles
and tendons are torn in your lower back. They usually happen when you’re
weightlifting or playing sports.
Lifestyle Triggers
Back pain can be brought on by
things you do — or don’t do — in your day-to-day life, like:
·
Slouching
at your desk
·
Lifting
heavy objects
·
Being overweight
·
Not exercising
·
Smoking
·
Wearing
high heels
Emotions
in Play
Don’t underestimate the power of
feelings to bring on pain. Stress can lead to muscle tension in the back, and depression and anxiety may
make the pain feel even worse.
Other
Causes
Back pain can also be caused by
medical conditions like:
Arthritis:
This is a joint disease that
causes stiffness, swelling, and inflammation.
Osteoarthritis
: This degenerative joint disease
happens when your cartilage and bones break down. This most often affects
people from middle age onward.
Ankylosing spondylitis
: This is a type of arthritis
that affects your joints and ligaments along the spine.
Scoliosis, or curvature of the
spine:
This is
usually something you have from birth. If there’s pain, it typically starts in
mid-life.
Pregnancy:
The weight you
gain when you’re expecting can strain your back.
Tumors:
In rare cases you can get
them in your back. They’re usually spread by a cancer that started
somewhere else in your body.
Less-common causes of back pain
are:
·
Kidney
stones and infections
·
Endometriosis,
a buildup of uterine tissue outside the uterus
·
Osteomyelitis or
discitis, infections in the bones and discs of the spine
·
Fibromyalgia,
a condition that causes widespread muscle pain
Depending on the cause of your
pain, your treatment could include lifestyle changes, medication, or
possibly surgery. Here at the clinic we always aim to help you stay active and moving without the need for painkillers. You should expect to receive a full assessment where we will listen to you and get to the root cause of your particular problem. With a course of treatment with us, you should expect a hands on treatment style approach as well as being advised on the right kind of exercises to do at the right stage of you treatment.
We want you to be happy and back doing the things you love to be doing.
if you need any further information or advice please feel free to call the clinic or download our 100% FREE back pain report:-
https://gavnoble.leadpages.co/back-pain-report/
If you require any further information on Back pain then click
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, or call us on 028 92666959, or email info@gavnoble.com