Back pain may occur due to various reasons; be it a sports injury, pulling a heavy object or a fall/ injury to the spine. If you are suffering from back pain, it would be wise to have a look at some of the common risk factors and causes of back pain before going to a doctor.
Risk Factors
The risk of back pain varies in different individuals, depending on their lifestyle. People who work in a mentally stressful job, smoke or go through strenuous physical work are more susceptible to back pain than those who don’t. Other factors such as pregnancy, anxiety, depression and obesity can also lead to this condition. Age is also a factor, as older individuals are at a higher risk than younger ones.
Causes Of Back Pain
Strain
The most common cause of back pain is strained muscles and ligaments, which may be a result of lifting something heavy or a sudden awkward movement. It can also be caused by improper posture due to a bad mattress or sitting position.
Structural Problems
The human body is a complex structure composed of bones, muscle, ligaments and joints. A fault in any of these can cause numerous problems, including back pain. Some particular structural problems that may affect the back are as follows:
Arthritis
Arthritis can cause various joint problems in the hips and lower back.
Bulging And Ruptured Disks
The vertebra in our spine is cushioned by a disk, so a ruptured disk would result in more pressure on the nerves, resulting in back aches. A bulging disk would put even more pressure on the nerves.
Sciatica
A bulging disk can also press on a nerve in the spine, causing a shooting pain through the buttocks and down the legs.
Curvature Of The Spine
An unnatural curvature of the spine can cause the space around the spinal cord to narrow, causing back pains.
Osteoporosis
A vertebra fracture can be caused by the bones becoming more brittle.
Spinal Cancer
A growth or tumor on the spine may press against a nerve.
Infections
Infection of the nerves (shingles) and spine may also cause pains.
Cauda Equine Syndrome
The growth of nerve roots at the bottom of the spinal cord can cause a dull pain, as well as lack of feeling in the upper buttocks.
Make sure you go to a doctor that fully evaluates the causes of your back pain. Most doctors just treat the symptoms of the pain which just allows the underlying cause to get worse. Chiropractors fully evaluate the spinal regions and if found to be caused by a subluxation, the cause can be corrected with spinal adjustments. As a Freehold Chiropractor, we fully evaluate a patient’s social activities, lifestyle, and perform a full exam to take an active approach at getting a patient better. If the problem is not treatable with chiropractic, we refer you to a doctor more suited to treat the cause you have.
Image used under Creative Commons Licensing: There’s pain in my head by Stefan Neuweger