Common Causes of Back Pain

“The aim of the wise is not to secure pleasure, but to avoid pain.”
- Aristotle (384 BC – 322 BC), famous Greek philosopher and scientist.

However, one pain that is very hard to avoid is back ache. In fact, it is one of most frequent complaints of humanity, with nine out of ten adults experiencing it once in their lifetimes and five out of ten working adults experiencing it every year.

Back ache usually originates from the muscles, nerves, bones, joints or other structures in the spinal column. It is also known as dorsalgia and can be of following types:

  • Neck pain or cervicalgia
  • Upper back pain or thoracic pain
  • Lower back pain or lumbago
  • Tailbone pain or coccydynia
  • Back pain is also classified by duration – acute (less than 4 weeks), sub-acute (4 – 12 weeks), chronic (greater than 12 weeks) – and causes. Some of the common causes of back pain are:

    Neck pain

  • Neck injuries
  • Spondylosis
  • Infections
  • Stress
  • Wrong posture
  • Upper back pain

  • Wrong posture
  • Overuse injuries
  • Trauma
  • Lower back pain

  • Diseases of joints like osteoarthritis, hyperostosis, etc.
  • Spinal problems like herniated discs, spinal stenosis, etc.
  • Metabolic problems like osteomalacia, ochronosis, etc.
  • Tumors
  • Depression
  • Wrong posture
  • Tailbone pain

  • Injuries from falls, etc.
  • Childbirth
  • Tumors
  • Although some kind of back pain cannot be prevented but only treated, there are assured types that can be. Here are some ideas for preclusion:

    Exercise – Regular exercise can renew the joints and muscles and keep them mobile, preventing the onset of back pain. This also helps one maintain a well weight. However, be confident to maintain correct form while lifting weights.
    Posture - A lot of back is owed to false posture while sitting, standing and sleeping, which keeps the spine out of alignment. Correcting that will decrease the chances of back ache.
    Nutrition – You are what you eat. hence, confirm that your body gets all the essential nutrients for a fit lifestyle.
    Footwear – This is commonly one of the most neglected aspects of day-to-day lifestyle. However, wearing the suitable shoes can help prohibit back ache. Ladies are recommended to use heels sparingly.
    Medicine – approximately all medicines have side-effects, and some of them can origin back ache. Be careful about what medicines you take. The use of ache killers and non steroidal anti provocative drugs can only mask the symptoms and not resolve the trouble.
    Stress – The stress of latest living has basically contributed to the rise in cases of back ache. Reducing it will be a important inhibitive procedure.
    Smoking – In addition to countless other health benefits, quitting smoking can serve to frustrate back ache.
    Mobility – Current jobs usually require us to sit at desks for large periods of time. Intersperse long periods of physical passiveness with short walks to prohibit back ache.
    Checkups – Regular checkups by a doctor, chiropractor, physical therapist or individual trainer can help to anticipate back ache. They can also offer direction towards a healthier life.

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