6 common reasons why your back is hurting
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6 common reasons why your back is hurting
Low back pain – anyone with it understands how debilitating it can become preventing you from leading a pain free life making daily tasks difficult. Every time you twist, bend over, pick something up, walk or even simply sit, it reminds you it hasn’t gone away and maybe won’t for a long time. Often described as either a dull, constant ache to a sudden, sharp sensation leaving one incapacitated, low back pain affects both men and women equally.
There are many, many reasons why we get low back pain. From lifting something heavy or maybe as a result of an accident, everyone has their own unique story as to what led to their misery. A sedentary lifestyle can also set the stage for low back pain, especially when a routine of too little exercise is followed by a strenuous weekend workout. Occasionally pain may strike out of nowhere of a simple move setting it off or it could be present when you first wake up in the morning lasting all day long.
If you are a current sufferer of this malady, you’re not alone. About 80 percent of adults experience low back pain at some point in their lifetime making it the most common cause of job-related disability and a leading contributor to missed days of work. Surveys have shown more than a quarter of adults report experiencing low back pain during the past 3 months.
Depending on the cause, most low back pain is short term lasting a few days to a few weeks tending to resolve on its own with self-care. But there are others who daily deal with chronic low back pain that lasts indefinitely.
No matter low back pain arises, never take a pain-free back for granted. If your back pain is lasting more than a couple of weeks or is getting worse, contact your healthcare provider. You need to find out the cause to get an accurate diagnosis and course of treatment. In the meantime, there are things you could be doing contributing to the situation making it worse. Here are 6 common reasons that could be at the root of the problem:
1. Poor posture
Whether sitting or standing, poor posture can be a factor causing low back pain. The correct position of your low back should have a slight forward curve called a lordosis. When you sit or stand slouched over, this lordosis straightens out losing the natural forward curve in the spine. This leads to increased pressure on the small shock absorbing discs in the back which can lead to low back pain. Take note of your standing and sitting posture – practice today the proper ways to sit and stand with good posture to reduce or prevent low back pain.
2. Improper heavy lifting
Anytime you lift a heavy object, it places an incredible strain on your spine. The stress of improper lifting can very easily lead to muscle strains and increase pressure in your intervertebral discs which in turn, leads to low back pain or sciatica. Learn and always use proper lifting techniques crucial for preventing a back injury.
3. Bending or leaning forward frequently
Just about anyone of us is guilty of this practice – whenever we sit in front of a computer, text, drive or even watch TV, we all have a tendency to be leaning forward in a position placing a lot of pressure on our spines. Again, being conscious of our sitting positions and how our body is aligned is a first step in breaking this bad habit. Learning proper ways of sitting in front of a computer or when driving without leaning forward, can be a good start to lessening the risk of back pain.
4. Injury to the back
Unfortunately, sometimes the main cause of low back pain is a prior injury or trauma to the back. Injuries can come from car accidents, sports-related injuries, a bad fall, or just about any kind of physical trauma to the back can set the pain in motion possibly for a long time. Experiencing a trauma to the back requires a visit to your doctor as soon as possible to be examined for the extent of the injury. Depending on what is found, physical therapy, steroid injections, wearing a brace, or pain medications could be some of the therapies necessary for healing.
5. Degenerative conditions
Normal aging can be a factor in creating low back pain due to several degenerative conditions. Conditions such as spinal stenosis, arthritis, or degenerative disc disease, can all cause pain. Scoliosis is another condition that can be diagnosed during childhood that can be a cause of your pain. Movement and exercise have been proven to be effective in treating low back pain. Also a visit with your doctor and a physical therapist can be beneficial for developing back exercises for your specific condition.
6. Diseases not related to the back
In some cases, back pain may be caused by a disease that indirectly is causing suffering – cancer, kidney stones, or a tumor. Usually these conditions also have other symptoms accompanying them such as unexplained weight loss, fever, or extreme fatigue. If you are experiencing back pain with other unusual symptoms, see your doctor for a thorough physical exam to rule out any serious problem.