Back Pain

What should I know about back pain?

Back pain is a very common problem and will affect many of us at some point during our lives. It can result from injury, activity and some medical conditions.

Furthermore, it can affect people of any age, for different reasons. As people get older, the chance of developing lower back pain increases, due to factors such as previous occupation.

The good news is that in most cases it is not a serious problem, and it might just be caused by a simple strain to a muscle or ligament.

Luckily, an individual can take measures to prevent or relieve most back pain episodes. Again, if prevention fails, simple home treatment and proper body mechanics often will heal the back within a few weeks and keep it functional. As a matter of fact, surgery is rarely needed to treat back pain.

Causes

Often back pain does not have one simple cause but may be due to one or more of the following:

• poor posture

• lack of exercise resulting in stiffening of the spine and weak muscles

• muscle strains or sprains.

As well as the things listed above, there are also specific conditions which are linked with pain felt in the back. They are;

• Sciatica – an irritation of the nerve that runs from the lower back to the feet). This can cause pain, numbness, tingling and weakness in the lower back, buttocks, legs and feet

• Spondylosis – general term for age-related wear and tear affecting the spinal disks in the neck.

• Spinal stenosis. Sometimes back pain is linked with pain in the legs which starts after walking for a few minutes, and then tends to get better very quickly when you sit down. This is known as spinal stenosis. This can happen from birth or can develop as we get older.

Preventing back pain

It is difficult to prevent back pain, but the following tips may help reduce ones risk:

• Have regular back exercises and stretches

• stay active – doing regular exercise helps keep the back strong; adults are advised to do at least 150 minutes of exercise a week

• avoid sitting for long periods

• Use appropriate techniques when lifting

• In addition, one should check his or her posture when sitting, using computers or tablets and watching television

• ensure the mattress on your bed supports you properly

• lastly, lose weight through a combination of a healthy diet and regular exercise if one is overweight. Being overweight can increase ones risk of developing back pain.

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https://www.nhs.uk/

REFERENCES

1. NHS. Back pain. Available at https://www.nhs.uk

2. Versus arthritis. Back pain. Available at https://versusarthritis.org

3. Mayo Clinic. Back pain. Available at https://mayoclinic.com