Back Pain
back problems, common causes, and the best treatment.
When it comes to the quality of life, there's nothing more important than health. Illnesses and injuries can affect your ability to work or even perform simple tasks and can cause great discomfort and pain. Among the main causes of pain, discomfort, and even immobility are back problems.
The backbone is a complex structure comprised of many muscles, disks, tendons, bones, and ligaments which work in tandem to support the body and facilitate movement. As such, any injury on the back, however minor, may have serious ramifications in the future if left untreated.
Many people experience back pain at least once in their lifetime, and it can range from mild to severe and should be taken seriously as it can result in disability. In fact, disability in people under the age of 45 is most of the time attributed to issues with the back.
Common Causes of Back Problems
Back pain can be classified as either acute or chronic. Acute pain in the back comes suddenly and lasts less than six weeks. It is usually caused by lifting heavy objects or a fall. Chronic pain, which is less common, lasts more than three months.
Unfortunately, you may experience pain in your back even without having necessarily strained yourself or fallen. Some of the conditions commonly linked with back issues include:
Structural Problems
In many cases, back problems can be associated with misalignment of the discs, spinal joints, muscles, and nerves. This can come in the form of:
Slipped or Herniated Disks
Between the bones in your backbone are disks that serve as cushions for the bones. When the disks are out of position, they can put pressure on your nerves, which results in pain. At times, the disks can rupture, causing the soft material found inside to bulge out and press on a nerve. However, slipped or herniated discs do not always cause pain and are discovered after x-rays.
Muscle and Ligament Strains
Sudden awkward movements or repeated lifting of heavy objects can strain spinal ligaments and back muscles. When this happens, the muscles and ligaments can stretch or tear, which can result in stiffness and pain.
Abnormal Curvature of the Spine
Any abnormal curvature of the spine as with scoliosis in which the spine curves to one side can result in pain.
Other conditions that can result in back problems include kidney infections and osteoporosis, which causes bones to become brittle and porous, increasing the chances of fractures.
Movement and Posture
Daily habits and activities such as how you move and poor posture can cause back problems. Such risk factors include:
- Twisting
- Over-stretching
- Bending for long or awkwardly
- Sitting or standing for extended periods
- Neck strains resulting from computer use or driving
In addition to such daily activities, accidents, and injuries resulting from falls or sports and the likes can cause back problems.
Risk Factors
There are many causes of back problems, and anyone, from children to adults, can experience back pain. However, some factors can put you at a higher risk of developing back problems. These include:
- Lack of exercise: if the muscles in your back and abdomen are not used, they may weaken making you susceptible to back problems
- Age: The chances of developing increases as you age with the risk beginning at age 30
- Excess Weight: Any excess body weight you have causes undue stress to your back
- Psychological Conditions: Individuals with anxiety, depression and other psychological conditions have a higher risk of developing back problems
How to Relieve Back Pain in Chesterfield
In many cases, back problems don't last long, and taking it easy or a few days rest is enough to relieve the pain. However, there are instances where the pain can become persistent and last for months, increasing the chances of it becoming severe. Due to the crucial role your back plays in your lifestyle, it is vital to have any back problems assessed and treated.
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