Back Pain – Causes, Symptoms, and Effective Relief
Common Causes of Back Pain & How to Avoid Them
Back pain is a common widespread medical issue that affects a large portion of the population, leading to pain and discomfort, long term disability in severe cases. The causes of back pain differ from simple muscle pain to herniated discs or spinal misalignments.
In this blog, we will explore the common causes of back pain and provide measures to avoid them. Understanding the main causes of pain and taking precautions can avoid the chances of back pain in the coming future.
Adapting habits such as maintaining correct posture, physical activities, and muscle strengthenings can reduce the risk of developing back pain.
Taking these holistic steps to manage spinal health and overall health can help to live a comfortable life (which is free from back pain).
What is the most common reason for Back Pain?
These are some common reasons for back pain:
Muscle strain – Caused by incorrect posture while sitting or standing, heavy weight lifting, or sudden movements. Leads to pain, inflammation, and low mobility. Can be temporary, and managed with rest, and stretching.
Ruptured discs – Cushion-like material between vertebrae moves out of place, which causes nerve compression. This leads to numbness, weakness, and pain in legs.
Degenerative discs disease – Pain and muscle stiffness caused by osteoarthritis which result in wear and tear of the spinal joints.
Improper body posture – Incorrect sitting or slouching for a long period of time adds extra pressure to the spine.
No physical activity – Lack of physical exercises can reduce mobility and flexibility.
Osteoporosis – Weakening of bone condition can lead to fractures in the spine, which causes back pain.
Spinal stenosis – Condition in which narrowing of the spinal canal happens, and puts load on nerves, leads to discomfort and pain.
Can a sleeping position cause Back Pain?
Yes, sleeping positions can lead to back pain.
Here are some points to consider before adapting any sleep positions:-
Side sleeping – Most common sleeping position for patients with severe back pain.
Back sleeping – This is also a common position but may not work for everyone, specifically who are already suffering from spinal issues.
Stomach sleeping – This can be avoided by people with back pain, it may increase discomfort in some individuals.
Sleeping side positions are most comfortable for many individuals as it found to be less painful for those with back pain. In some cases, people use additional support like a pillow between the knees to maintain proper spinal alignment.
It is important to find a correct position to sleep that can support spinal health and seek a healthcare provider suggestion for tailored advice.
How does sitting for long hours affect the back?
Sitting for a longer period of time has become part of our work life with the rise of desk jobs (remote jobs) after COVID 19.
Long periods of sitting with incorrect body posture can affect spinal health which can lead to pain and discomfort. While sitting itself is not so harmful, prolonged inactivity can worsen the back pain.
Here are some points which affects back health due to prolonged sitting:-
- Increase risk of lower back pain especially to those individuals who have sedentary lifestyles.
- Muscle pain associated with fatigue and discomfort.
- Muscle (Lumbar) stiffness.
- Low functionality.
There are benefits of taking breaks and movements which can reduce the adverse reaction of prolonged sitting and prompt spinal health.
- Stretch or walk during breaks.
- Change the position every 40 to 60 minutes.
- Incorporate dynamic chairs to promote movements.
Can lifting heavy objects incorrectly cause Back Pain?
Lifting heavy weight objects not properly can cause back pain.
Bending at the waist in place of legs can increase the risk of lower back pain.
Lifting with improper body posture can cause musculoskeletal injuries, like muscle strain.
It can place extra pressure on the spine and surrounding core muscles.
Tips for prevention:-
- Keeping back straight, bend with the knees and lift with the legs.
- Avoid sudden twisting.
- Take help if the load is too heavy.
Proper lifting techniques can lower the risk of severe back pain.
What sports or activities commonly cause Back Pain?
- Swimming – Improper ways can increase back pain.
- Golf – Sudden twisting can strain the lower back.
- Running – On a hard surface can place a pressure on the spine, which can lead to lower back pain.
- Tennis – Rotational turns in tennis can lead to stress on the lumbar muscle and cause back pain.
- Football – Unexpected twisting motions can have risk of spinal injuries.
To prevent these issues, we can do
- Proper warmup before physical activity.
- Try to use correct techniques of sports to minimize the risk of back pain.
- Strengthen core muscles to manage spinal health through stretching exercises.
- Regular breaks in intervals to avoid overuse injuries.
- Use adequate footwear and equipment to reduce muscle strain.
Conclusion
The most prevalent causes of back pain involve herniated disc, muscle strain, spinal misalignment, physical inactivity, osteoporosis, and spinal stenosis. These factors can place extra pressure on the lumbar muscle and spine, leading to discomfort and severe pain. Incorrect sleeping positions and sitting for a longer period of time can increase back pain.
By practicing simple modifications into regular routines, such as strengthening core muscles, stretching exercises, and avoiding poor posture while sitting or standing, anyone can alleviate the risk of back pain and improve spinal health.