Has Back Pain Found You Yet?

The odds are high, very high, that at some point you are going to join the millions who suffer from back and spinal pain. Why are you so likely to find yourself among this unlucky group? It could be for a number of reasons. However, the more you know about your back and its pain triggers, the more proactive you can be in preventing an injury, and the more quickly you can recover should you experience one.

To a great degree our back health is in our own hands, and with some knowledge, prevention, exercise and back pain treatment that includes pampering we are more likely to find ourselves in control.

Yes, pampering! From my own experience - spoil your back rotten and see how much better you start to feel.

Cause of Back Pain

How many times have you heard someone complain about their sore and stiff back muscles, a pulled back muscle, or a lower back muscle spasm? Probably, often. And this may be exactly what's going on if it's short-term pain they are experiencing.

However...

If it's ongoing, long-term pain, it's often not the back muscles that are to blame. Although back muscles can be over stretched or injured, it requires a considerable amount of force to do so and does not happen as often as many people think. In addition, muscles tend to heal rapidly and seldom cause pain lasting more than a week. Then what's to blame?

The likely culprit may be overstretched ligaments and other soft tissue. Good news, since this type of over stretching is primarily caused by poor posture habits, which are preventable and treatable. Many people don't realize how important posture is in ALL of our daily activities - it is not limited to how we stand and sit. The way we align our body when we sleep also has an affect our posture. Understanding posture and its effects can be one of the best back pain remedies.

Although posture can be a determining factor in our spine health, there are many other causes of back and spinal pain which are not as simple.

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Skeleton irregularities - It is natural for our spine to curve out slightly at the upper back and have a lower back arch. However, at times these curves become overly exaggerated, causing pain. Scoliosis back pain is caused when the spine curves to one side, or the other.

Bulging or herniated disks - The spinal vertebrae are cushioned by small, spongy disks that act as shock absorbers and keep the spine flexible. A disk may become damaged and then bulge or break open, resulting in a herniated disk, also known as a slipped or ruptured disk.

Sciatica - Sciatica is referred to clinically as a radiculopathy. This occurs when a bulging or herniated disk presses on the radicular nerve in the lower back. This nerve forms part of the sciatic nerve that travels from the back down the leg. The result is usually sharp shooting pains through the buttock and down the back of the leg which may be accompanied by numbness and tingling.

It is important to note that sciatica is a symptom of something irritating the nerve root and is not a medical diagnosis or disorder on its own.

Arthritis - Osteoarthritis affects many joints, most commonly the knees, hips, feet, hands and lower back. Spinal stenosis can occur when arthritis in the spine, typically osteoarthritis, narrows the space around the spinal cord.

Osteoporosis - Fragile and brittle bones, as a result of osteoporosis, can break easily. This type of fracture is known as an osteoporotic fracture. Some of these are in the form of a painful vertebral compression fracture, or spinal fracture.

Referred pain - A pain in one part of the body can easily be felt in other areas and is known as referred pain. The back often feels the affect of:

• kidney disease
• a bladder infection
• an ovarian problem
• a pelvic infection
• appendicitis

Although not as prevalent, other causes may include: an infection in the spine, cancer of the spine, or a serious neurological problem know as cauda equina syndrome.

Whenever you have any type of back discomfort, unless you are certain of the cause and know for a fact that it is not harmful, you should consult with a physician or a back pain specialist.

You should seek immediate evaluation if you have any of the following warning signs, or have experienced:

• sharp or stabbing pains
• progressively worsening pains
• pain not responding to over the counter medication
• recent back injury
• difficulty with bowel or bladder control
• pain accompanied by fever, chills or sweating
• sleep is interrupted by pain
• other unusual symptoms persist

Lower Back Pain

Most back ache complaints are of the lower back, originating in the lumbar spine.

When we are upright, the lumbar spine bears the weight of the body above it and transmits that weight to our hips when we are sitting and to our legs and feet when we are standing or walking. It also provides a flexible connection between the upper and lower parts of the body, protects the spinal cord, and has a greater weight bearing function than the remainder of our spine.

Because of the multiple functions of the lumbar spine, injuries in this area are particularly painful and often radiate to other parts of our body, resulting in:

• hip pain
• knee pain
• a stiff neck and shoulder pain
• leg pain
• upper back pain

Conversely, because of the alterations we make in the way we walk, stand and sit when we have pain in our feet, knees, hips, or neck and shoulders, those pains in turn will often produce low back pain.

With all that goes on with our backs it's no wonder millions of people regularly suffer from chronic back pain.

My advice, learn as much as you can about your back...

I've found that the more I've learned about ways to prevent back pain, as well as utilizing the right back pain treatment the better I've started to feel.  It takes time and a commitment to feeling better - but it's sure worth it.