What is back pain and what causes it?

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What is back pain

Back pain is one of the main reasons for disability all around the world which makes you dependent on others. Back pain can lead to a stabbing/ shooting pain, muscle aches, radiating pain towards the legs, pain which improves when you recline, worsening pain when you lift/ bend/ stand or walk. Back pain can be improved with a proper treatment plan, home remedies, and lifestyle modifications. Back pain can be severe and can lead to bladder/ bowel issues, result in falls/ injuries, continuous fever, numbness, tingling or painful sensation with radiating pain to different parts of the body.

Back pain might be acute or chronic where the pain can last for a few weeks or months vice versa. Back pain usually occurs due to any reason so it is diagnosed through imaging tests to find out the exact cause of the disease. The common causes of back pain include the following:

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Ligament or muscle strain where you undergo back pain due to the awkward immediate postures or heavy lifting or repeated basis. A muscle or ligament strain can lead to painful sensation or muscle spasms.

Back pain can be affected by osteoarthritis which is the bone disorder where the joints become inflamed. In certain cases, spinal arthritis can result in a narrowing of the surrounding space of the spinal cord where it is known as spinal stenosis.

Back pain can occur due to the ruptured or bulging discs where the discs serve as the cushions in between the vertebrae within the spine. The discs have the soft material inside them which can either rupture or bulge outwards leading to impingement of nerves. You might suffer from back pain without knowing the fact that you have a bulging or ruptured disc, it is identified on X-ray or other imaging tests.

Back pain can also occur due to skeletal irregularities like spinal curves i.e. scoliosis leading to back pain.

Back pain can also occur if you are suffering from osteoporosis where the spine develops certain types of compression fractures leading to brittle and porous bones.

Other than the specific causes leading to back pain there are certain risk factors like middle-age, no exercise in daily routine where the muscles get weak and unused, excess body weight where stress can lead to back pain, certain diseases like cancer/ arthritis, improper postures during weight lifting/ walking/ sleeping/ sitting, suffering from a psychological condition or smoking where the blood flow reduces towards the lower back leading to back pain.

Back pain is common in all parts of the world without any discrimination of gender, ethnicity or age. However, there are common measures that help in the prevention of back pain. You can indulge in low-intensity exercise regularly which helps in enhancing the strength of the bones and muscles. You can indulge in back and abdomen exercises where you can enhance the muscle strength and improve flexibility. Avoid being overweight and maintain an ideal weight to avoid back pain. Eat a healthy diet to enhance your bone strength. Avoid alcohol, smoking or other caffeinated beverages which might enhance back pain. Try maintaining a smart posture during your daily routine so that your back is maintained in a neutral position without leading to back pain. Avoid lifting heavy weights for a while and take rest to suppress the back pain. If you are not able to recover from back pain through these natural measures then you can consult the healthcare professional and have yourself treated with an appropriate treatment plan depending on the severity of back pain.  

Until Next Time,

Team Doctor ASKY!

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