Back pain can be mild and temporary, or severe and sustained. It can affect different parts of the shoulders, back and neck and greatly inhibit normal function. Lower pain is among the key reasons why people look for pain management solutions and according to statistics, as many as four out of every five individuals are affected by this problem. But what causes back Pain?
Back pain can come about due to one or a combination of the following factors:
• Poor body posture
• Injured discs
• Disease and disorders
• Sciatica
Poor Posture
Poor posture is one of the main causes of back pain. While at the workplace, many people have to sit at a desk for hours while working on their computers. In most instances however, the chairs they use chairs do not provide enough back support and this forces them to lean forward throughout. This and the fact that they hardly ever leave their desks may eventually make the back give in to muscle imbalance where the muscles in that area may lose their natural function due to under utilization.
Injured Discs
Muscles and ligaments hold the vertebrae together and discs are positioned in between the vertebrae to provide cushioning that also acts as a shock absorber. As a person gets older though, these discs may deteriorate and cause friction between the vertebrae. Strains on the back, such as that experienced when lifting may also lead to herniated discs and disc bulging thus resulting in severe back ache. There are however numerous back pain management techniques that can be applied to deal with such problems.
Disease and Disorder
At times, pain may stem from acquired disorders like arthritis which can contribute to fractures, or scoliosis where the spine may curve in an abnormal way. Ankylosing spondylitis, which causes spinal joint inflammation, is yet another problem that can affect the vertebrae and lead to back pain. Spinal stenosis, fibromyalgia, and pregnancy can bring about the same problem as well
Sciatica
Sciatica affects the sciatic nerve which runs from the lower back all the way down to back of the legs. When this nerve is affected, pain may be experienced on the back and this may sometimes even extend to the foot and completely debilitate the patient. Someone experiencing this sort of irritating pain should consult a doctor for back pain management solutions.
Back pain may come and disappear on its own depending on the underlying cause. Whenever you experience pain for a prolonged period or if the pain keeps you from sleeping at night though, it’s crucial to visit a clinic so you are provided with pain management treatment. Keep in mind, back pain can be disabling; it has been established to be a major cause of disability in individuals below the age of 45. This means ignoring it may only cause you bigger problems.
Therefore, you should aim to visit a pain doctor whenever such a problem arises so you have it resolved as soon as possible.
