Back Pain-Get Back To Basics!

Sprains, Strains, Excess Weight, Injury, Stress, and Poor posture are well-known sources of back pain.

However, other causes may surprise you. For example, it is well established that smoking reduces blood flow to the lower spine and can lead to spinal degeneration. Even a bout of sharp coughing or sneezing can strain a muscle in your lower back.

Common causes

Poor posture. Long periods of poor posture can cause muscle strain. Don't slouch -- stand up straight with your shoulders straight and chest out. When you're sitting, sit up straight in a firm, high-backed chair. If you have to sit at a desk for long periods of time, take frequent breaks to walk around.

Improper lifting. Decrease the risk of muscle pain and strain by lifting heavy loads properly. Squat and lift with your knees bent and back straight. Lift gradually and keep the load close to your body. Tighten your waist and stomach muscles. Don't move suddenly or lift objects higher than your waist. Stop immediately if you begin to feel back pain. Don't try to lift something awkward or heavy by yourself.

Poor physical condition. Obesity can strain your back muscles. In fact, for every five pounds of excess weight you carry on your abdomen, an estimated 20 pounds of pressure is placed on your back muscles and spine. With your GP's OK, exercise regularly. Physical activity can help you maintain a healthy weight and keep your back, abdominal, and leg muscles in shape.

Emotional stress. Stress can cause your back muscles to become stiff, causing strains and spasms. Practice relaxation techniques, such as deep, slow breathing.

A soft, saggy mattress. If your mattress doesn't provide enough support, try putting a board under it. If that doesn't work, it may be time to invest in a new mattress.

Ageing. As you get older, you're likely to experience changes in your back. Muscles and connective tissues become less elastic. Bone mass decreases. A loss of muscle strength and mass may cause posture and balance changes. Your disks - structures that act as cushions between vertebra lose fluid and flexibility. All of these can result in back pain.

Arthritis. Arthritis is a common culprit in back pain as well. This is especially true with osteoarthritis
- a "wear and tear" condition that develops after decades of using your back to twist, turn, pivot, and pull. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. It may affect some backs more than others depending on factors such as lifestyle and heredity.

One form of arthritis - ankylosing spondylitis can lead to significant stiffness and pain, especially in the lower back. In this condition, the joints and ligaments between vertebrae become inflamed and progressively fuse, or grow together.

Fibromyalgia. Another chronic condition that's characterized by back pain is fibromyalgia. People with this condition often feel pain in the neck and shoulders.

Herniated disk. You've probably heard someone blame back pain on a "slipped disk."
Disks don't actually slip out of place. However, injury and normal wear can cause a disk to bulge, rupture, or herniate.

When this happens, the disk may pinch a nerve connected to the spinal cord. The result is pain - typically in the sciatic nerve that begins in the lower back and runs along the buttocks and legs.

Osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a loss of bone mass. Bones become more brittle and weak, making them vulnerable to stress and injury.

The risk of osteoporosis increases with age, especially after menopause for women. Regular weight-bearing exercise and a diet rich in calcium can help prevent osteoporosis when started early enough.

Pregnancy. As a woman's body progresses through a pregnancy, it goes through a number of changes. For example, pregnant women often compensate for the weight of a growing baby by changing the way they sit, stand, walk, and lift. These changes in posture and movement can put extra stress on muscles and ligaments, a source of back pain.

Near the end of pregnancy, a woman's body prepares for childbirth. For example, joints in the pelvis begin to loosen and expand. This extra instability can also lead to back pain.

Referred pain. Sometimes back pain is referred. That is, it develops as a symptom of another condition. Examples include:

h bladder infection
h cancer
h diabetes
h endometriosis
h kidney stones
h infections in the spine
h ovarian cysts

If your back pain occurs with fever, loss of bowel or bladder control, or weakness or pain radiating down your legs, consult your doctor right away.

Spinal Stenosis. Each of your vertebra contains a central small hole. Vertebra are stacked on top of each other, and the succession of holes creates a canal to house your spinal cord. In spinal stenosis, this canal may be small at birth or become narrowed, possibly putting pressure on the spinal cord or nerves that radiate out from the spinal cord.

This can happen for various reasons, including bone disease and osteoarthritis. Sometimes disks herniate and protrude into the canal. Some options for treatment include pain relievers, steroid injections, and surgery.

Prevention:
Keep in mind that your health habits can prevent many common sources of back pain. "A lot of back pain is based on inactivity and excess weight, these factors just accentuate the normal degenerative processes that occur with ageing."

You can take immediate steps to prevent problems. "Just about anything that gets you moving a little more, losing some weight, and being careful about your posture is going to help!"