One in every ten people suffers from back pains. That’s like 540 million people in the world suffering from severe back pains.
Back pain is the leading cause of disability for most people below 40 years. Some causes of back pains are easy to identify, while others, are internal meaning you need an expert to help identify them.
If you are suffering from back pain, then you should consult a chiropractor to examine you. Early diagnosis can help you get the right medication and also prevent the pain from worsening.
This article will discuss the common causes of back pain. Read through it to know what could be troubling you.
Physical Causes
The back parts of the body consist of ligaments, tissues, and nerves well-arranged together around the spine. When one of those components is damaged, the others hurt too, causing back pains. Here are the common physical activities which can cause upper and lower back injuries:
1. Poor Sitting Posture
Poor posture is a gradual cause of back pains. At times, the pain may be instant, especially if you remain in the same bad sitting or standing posture for an extended period.
Excess pressure causes pain and can also cause permanent damage. You can avoid poor body posture by learning to walk straight and sit with the right upright posture.
2. Strain
Just like sitting, standing and sleeping postures can cause serious back pains when you strain your body parts. Some strenuous activities can include lifting a weight in the wrong way, lifting a hefty weight, or making an abrupt awkward movement.
The strain exerts much pressure on your neck, arms, and lower back, and that’s why you are likely going to experience severe aches. You can avoid this by learning how to lift weight well and doing the right work for your body weight.
3. Accidents
Accidents are the sad reality of life. They can happen to anyone and at any time. When they happen, they can affect your body muscles and cause back pains. The accident’s effects on your body can range from mild to severe.
Doctors advise all accident victims to seek medical help immediately when accidents happen. Even without intense pain or visible injury, it is possible to sustain internal twisting or muscle strain, causing future problems.
With modern x-rays and other examination methods, the health experts can see the level of injuries on your body and initiate a solution.
Medical Causes
Back pains do not come from extreme physical actions only. Sometimes, they can be caused by severe medical conditions. Here are the common medical causes:
4. Cancer
Back pain is a rare but possible cause of cancer. It is common in people with spine cancer, breast cancer, gastrointestinal cancer, ovarian, and kidney cancer.
If you have spinal cancer, for instance, the tumor forms at the center of the spine. As the tumor grows, it exerts pressure on the surrounding ligaments of the backbone, causing the backbone pain.
Also, 30 to 70% of people suffering from other cancer types experience back pains as cancer cells spread to the spine. If you experience back pain due to cancer, your doctor will recommend the right medication or therapeutic practices to alleviate the pain.
5. Arthritis
Arthritis is another threatening disease affecting many adults in the United States. It is an inflammation that happens in the joints, muscles, and bones. Sometimes, the inflammation can affect the spinal or neck ligaments, causing back pains.
There are more than 100 types of arthritis, although most of them affect the neck and the backbones. The common symptom for this illness includes back pain, lack of body flexibility, spine swelling, etc.
If you often experience pain in your muscles or joints, then do an arthritis checkup to know if it’s the cause of your back pains.
6. Bone Infection
The spine and the other bones are prone to many infections, with osteoporosis being the main one. The disease affects the inner parts of the bones, weakens them, and causes fractures.
Osteoporosis can go undetected for a prolonged period. However, victims can get handy help when they consult experienced doctors. Back pain is a common symptom of this bone disease.
Other Causes
Here are other possible causes of upper back pains. Read through them to check if they are the ones troubling you.
7. Old Age
If you are more than 50 years, then you will probably experience chronic back pains than young people. The pain can even come naturally when you don’t have an underlying illness.
Wondering why? As you age, your body muscles continue to degenerate.
The degeneration makes it hard for the spine to support your weight, and that’s why the lower back pain problems come in.
You can prevent back pain by taking your medications and doing physical therapy. You may also follow this guide from Axcess Accident Center on how to keep your spine safe all through.
8. Excess Weight Gain
Did you know that you can experience back pains simply because you have gained extra pounds?
The spine carries the entire body weight when walking or doing work. When you are obese, the spine becomes overloaded when working and resting. With time, the spine may develop injuries or even twist as it tries to support your weight.
So, if you gained weight and have been experiencing back pains, then you should exercise or try other methods to reduce your weight.
9. Sleep Disorders
Do you often experience insomnia? If yes, then that could be the cause of your back pain. Most sleep disorders are caused by fear, anxiety, and depression. Lack of sleep can also happen when you have an underlying illness.
When you can’t get sleep, you end up twisting, turning, and contorting your spine. Such movements exert pressure on the spine, the neck, and the shoulders, and that’s how you get severe back pains.
If you have a sleeping disorder condition, reach out to your nearest health care facility to seek medical help.
Learn How to Deal With the Common Causes of Back Pain
There are many common causes of back pain, but the above are the main ones. Some of the causes, such as accidents, are uncontrollable.
However, you can learn how to deal with them and live a good life. Just make sure that you know the exact cause of your pain to know how to handle it.
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