What Are the Typical Causes of Back Pain?

The causes of back pain are often a mystery, no matter how many exams and medical tests you get done. After all, no two backs are the same.

Although most types of back pain are not life-threatening or too severe, you should still visit your doctor to try to determine the cause. Some types of back injuries can be related to severe medical problems, so you can never be too careful.

Read on to learn the common causes of back pain and why you should get a medical opinion the next time you feel a bit sore–even if the pain goes away for a while.

Injuries After Exercise

If you have not worked out in a long time, you can expect some spine problems after an intense exercise session. Even if you do not run a marathon or lift heavy weights, this can be caused by shoveling your yard or doing a bit of gardening.

Climbing the stairs can also lead to back pain if you are not used to moving around much. The next time you do a bit of exercise after a long time of inactivity, you may strain or pull a ligament in your back. This can also be caused by bending, twisting, or lifting.

It does not take much to trigger back pain. If you work very long hours at the office or from home, the slightest movements can lead to discomfort that lasts a few days. Most of the time, the pain goes away on its own.

However, you should apply warm compresses and do some gentle stretching exercises to ease those muscles in your back. This way, when you engage in physical activities, your back will not give out so quickly because you are more flexible.

Disc Injuries

As you age, you will feet flat round discs that fit between your vertebrae degrade. This can cause a lot of pain because the discs lose their ability to cushion your back, and the backbone then rubs against another.

Most medical professionals call this a degenerative disc disease. Another condition called a herniated disc can sometimes feel like a jelly filling squeezing out of your disc’s rugged outer coating.

A bit of pressure is caused by a build-up of fluid against the outer ring, leading to excruciating lower back pain. This leaked fluid can irritate nerves that are around. Then you will feel a lot of discomfort running down either of your legs or both.

Alignment Issues

One of the most common back alignment problems is caused by scoliosis. This is when an abnormal curve in your spine can develop when you are a child or teenager. However, you may not even notice it or feel any pain until you are middle-aged or even older.

Imagine waking up when you are 40 years old one day and realizing that your spine has been crooked the entire time. This is not the easiest pill to swallow for many patients, mainly when the pain is too far gone to ignore.

This is because the pressure on your nerves around the spinal cord increases with age. Alternatively, you may also have degenerative spondylolisthesis, which is a condition that occurs when the ligaments which hold your spine in their place wear down as you age.

This can shift the bones in your back, and they may slip out of their position by sliding forward until one grows over another. This condition is excruciating because the misplaced bones can compress your spinal nerves, so you feel a sharp pinch with each movement.

It is a misconception that alignment problems arise in your back. This pain or deformity can also affect your ankle or foot, depending on how you walk. The ligaments and tendons can stretch beyond normalcy, then arthritis and pain in your lower back can become intense.

Fractures

If you fall or have an accident and break your vertebra, you can develop a fracture. You may also struggle with osteoporosis, a disease that things the bones to make you more fragile and prone to severe pain after a minor accident. With time, your vertebra can crumble because of how much it weakens.

This will give rise to moderate to severe back pain when you move because the bones compress all your spinal nerves. Then you need to take care when you walk long distances and avoid standing up quickly if you have been sitting for a long time.

Tumors or Infections

Infections that strike your vertebra can be rare but not impossible. There is a condition called osteomyelitis, where you may suffer from inflammation in the discs between your bones. This leads to a lot of swelling that sends pain signals to your brain through the spinal cord.

Cancer is another reason for spinal problems where tumors can grow along your spine. Some types of cancers can start in your back, but most often, they form in other parts of the body and spread from there.

Therefore, a person with a history of cancer and back pain should monitor symptoms closely and stay in touch with the doctor. A symptom can be sudden weight loss. Although you may be inclined to ignore this by thinking that it is normal since weight fluctuates all the time.

You should give your doctor a quick call to order imaging tests that will detect any tumors that start growing near your spine. Several conditions affect other organs besides muscles and joints that make you wonder why you have spine problems.

Here is a helpful guide about types of spine conditions that you should keep an eye on to prevent further damage to sensitive nerves.

Never Neglect Causes of Back Pain

It is never easy to diagnose the causes of back pain without undergoing numerous medical tests. However, it is best never to ignore any symptoms because our spines control our movement and functionality.

When your back hurts, even sitting down or standing up can become the most painful experience. From the moment your back feels sore, you should visit your doctor instead of treating the pain yourself in hopes it goes away.

If you enjoyed reading this guide, check out some of our other articles for more information.