You know that your back is hurting; it has been for a while. However, do you understand why your muscles are so stiff, and you can feel your bones crack as you shift? No? Look no further than this article, wherein all your questions about back pain and remedies are answered!
Your back may be hurting due to a multitude of reasons, varying insignificance. Therefore, identifying the source is one of the most important things to do next. Does your back need a cool ice pack or a scalding hot water bag? Is the situation urgent enough for an ER visit? To treat the case, you first need to know the causes!
Common reasons include injury, over strenuous activity as well as underlying medical conditions. Not only that, but back pain affects people of any age for various reasons. In fact, as people get older, their chances of lower back injury increase due to factors like previous occupation and degenerative disk disease.
Lumbar pain (another name for lower back pain) is on the list of the most common medical conditions in the world. If you are suffering from the same, it is best to visit The Spine and Rehab Group at the earliest. You might be used to your lower back pain, but that does not mean that the pain is not a serious problem. About 2 to 10% of those with lower back problems develop chronic pain, which may affect daily functioning for at least three months.
Causes of Back Pain to Worry About!
You might have injured your muscles
Injury due to overuse of muscles is not uncommon. Consider this – have you been working out after a long break? Have you been hard at work on the lawn or the yard? Movements involving twisting and lifting are triggers for back pain.
You might have a bad posture
When your mother warned you against slouching all the time, unfortunately, she was right. Adopting a hunched posture while sitting in front of laptops increases the probability of back and shoulder pain over time.
While hunching tends to be the culprit most often, other common activities that lead to bad posture might be muscle tension, weight lifting, being in an uncomfortable position over a long time, sleeping in an awkward position, and many more.
You might be experiencing inflammation
While inflammation is part of the natural immune response of the body, it may cause some discomfort, heat, and pain. Due to lingering inflammation, it is possible that your back is bearing the brunt in the form of chronic soreness in your back and spine.
You might have degenerating muscles
An MD and Ph.D., Professor Gunnar Anderson says that the lower back is subjected to a high volume of mechanical stress and strain in general. This is because of the weight of the upper body, which may put an undue load on the lower back.
The weight of the upper body is supported by a single spine, made up of 30 tiny vertebrae stacked on each other. This is supported by a disc (a spongy piece of cartilage) that acts as a shock absorber, preventing the vertebrae from grinding against each other. Unfortunately, with age, these disks grind and recede, making it harder to absorb shock, which is why your lower back may experience sharp pain from time to time.
You might have some other problem
According to WebMD, though it is not very common, lower back pain may be a sign of medical conditions like diabetes or even a pinched nerve. Excess weight is also a major cause of back pain. When your body has to work harder to function, like the back muscles of people with excess body weight, it will cause discomfort and aches, thereby contributing to back pain.
Tips to Solve Your Back Issues
Improve your Posture
Improving posture is key to resolving your common spinal aches and groans. Keep your spine straight and your chest slightly arched. Make sure your chin is straight; it should neither touch your throat nor be tilted up. A posture like this is what one must maintain at all times- even on your phone!
To aid you in maintaining your posture, you may make use of tape, straps, or stretchy bands to help keep your spine in alignment. When working long hours, make sure to take breaks to walk around to stretch your spine.
Maintain Your Weight
Dr. Hemani says that “Weight loss really helps [with pain] because it reduces the amount of mechanical force onto the spine.” You can achieve a good weight by maintaining a balance between exercising regularly, eating a rich and healthy diet, being hydrated, and sleeping well. One should never ignore the calls of the body!
Exercise Your Back
You might think it is okay to skip going for a walk today, but not using back muscles is one of the top reasons your back is hurting. Not only do you need to ensure you keep moving, but you also need to practice simple exercises to stretch and strengthen the back. You should stick to doing around 15 minutes of exercises every day, but make sure they are safe for you.
Massage Therapy
Acupuncture, as well as massage therapy, are some of the most basic ways to alleviate back pain. This would hold especially true for stiff and sore muscles with a simple oil massage. On the other hand, acupuncture practitioners will insert sterilized needles in specific points of the body, which are said to relieve pressure and thereby alleviate back pain.
Conclusion
Back pain is quite common and can sometimes be extremely painful as well. However, you need to remember that the causes of back pain are many, and home remedies only work to a certain extent. Therefore, if you have chronic and severe back pain which refuses to ease up despite your best efforts, consider a doctor.
